Walking has been recommended by experts as a convenient, affordable treatment option for lower back discomfort.
Regular walkers experience fewer instances of activity-limiting back pain and have longer intervals between episodes, according to research.
According to the findings, study participants who combined walking therapy with counselling reduced by half the amount of time they had to miss work owing to pain and the need to seek medical attention.
Researchers found that walking frequently extended the time between recurrences of lower back pain in persons with a history of the condition by twice.
In depth
The patients in this study probably benefited from a physiotherapist’s help in figuring out the “appropriate starting dose” and “appropriate progression” of their walking programme because they had little to no prior experience with regular exercise. That being said, starting to walk or engage in any other kind of modest exercise does not always require the assistance of a certified professional.
Exercise has been demonstrated in the past to help people with lower back pain.
It appears that long or extremely intense exercise sessions are not always necessary to obtain this benefit. This is demonstrated by the fact that, at three months in this study, the difference in walking volume between the intervention and control groups was only 600 steps, or about 1/4 mile, per day. Walking is an easy way to ease back into fitness for people suffering from back pain episodes.
Standing tall, with a neutral pelvis, relaxed shoulders, and forward-facing gaze, is another essential component of good walking posture. Walking for 30 to 60 minutes most days of the week can help manage back pain over the long run by boosting mood, improving endurance, and offering long-lasting relief.
Take away
Back pain can be caused by a variety of conditions, including degeneration of the intervertebral discs, degeneration of the joints that connect the spinal vertebrae to one another, instability of the spine, deformity, nerve root compression, and muscular strain or sprain.
It has been demonstrated that exercise of some kind, quitting smoking, and maintaining a healthy body weight reduce the likelihood of future back pain recurrences in patients who have been advised to pursue non-surgical treatment for recurring lower back pain.
A follow-up study on incorporating the preventative intervention into routine patient care is being planned by the researchers. Although education and exercise are already regarded as the best treatments for back pain, several programmes have substantial use obstacles.
