Hand weights have been popular among walkers and runners for many years, with the majority of users citing burning more calories as their primary motivation for carrying weights while they are on the go. The consensus among experts, however, is that this is a bad idea, with the risks of various injuries to joints, muscles and connective tissue greatly outweighing any potential benefits.
Misconceptions
Many people are under the impression that carrying hand weights during a walk or a run is an effective way to increase the number of calories burned, boost muscular strength or both. In fact, this is not the case. Stacie Naczelnik of HubPages.com and others agree that the best way to burn more calories is to walk or run faster, which not only increases the rate of caloric consumption, but also avoids the risk of injuries inherent in using hand weights while walking or running.
Considerations
Imagine a pendulum with a modest amount of weight at the end of the string, and then imagine doubling that weight. The effect at the point where the string attaches to the ceiling is not difficult to predict--a significant increase in strain with every back-and-forth swing. So it is with hand weights and the human shoulder; even a 1 lb. hand weight increases the strain on the shoulder joint, and because the arm swing is almost entirely passive, gains in arm-muscle strength are negligible.
Effects
As described on Dr. Yessis' Sports Training Blog, when a runner or walker carries hand weights, as the arm reaches the end of its forward or backward swing, the muscles surrounding the shoulder joint must do extra work in order to "brake" the arm, which gains levels of momentum to which the shoulder muscles and joint are not accustomed. Since each arm swings back and forth anywhere from 60 to 90 times per minute, the additional stress on the shoulder adds up quickly.
Dangers
In addition to injuries to the shoulder that may take a long time to heal or never heal properly at all owing to the slow rate or regeneration of ligaments and tendons, carrying hand weights while walking or running can, as noted on The Walking Site, cause an increase in blood pressure, which in hypertensive people poses an immediate and major health risk. In addition, Naczelnik notes that gait alterations owing to changes in arm swing can lead to secondary injuries in the lower extremities.
Solutions
Those intent on perambulating with an artificial weight burden are advised to use weight vests, which distribute the added stress over the entire frame of the runner or walker rather than localizing it to two sensitive points. Also, as runners and walkers become fitter, they are more easily able to increase their pace, which in turn results in a faster arm swing naturally, without the risks imposed by the use of hand weights.
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