Study: This simple activity can help relieve back pain
A new study shows that walking regularly may help people who suffer from back pain.
The study found that regular walks may increase the number of days it takes for back pain to develop in some people.
Experts said that almost anyone can safely get into the habit of walking, and that regular walking also provides additional health benefits in addition to relieving chronic pain.
The study, published in The Lancet on June 19, highlights the importance of walking as a simple health intervention, especially considering the burden that back pain places on patients and the health care system as a whole, experts said.
When it comes to treating back pain, "the adage 'prevention is better than cure' is usually ignored," says Dr. Natasha Pokovi, lead author of the study and a researcher in the School of Health Sciences at Macquarie University in Australia. Here's what experts said about the study, why walking can prevent back pain, and what to consider before incorporating more steps into your daily routine.
To examine the relationship between walking and lower back pain, Pokovi and her team followed 701 adults who had recently experienced lower back pain. The average age of study participants was 54 years old, and 81% were women.
The study defined an "episode" of lower back pain as a pain on a numerical pain scale of 0 to 10 that lasted at least 24 hours and lasted at least two hours. These episodes were "not associated with a specific diagnosis" and were significant enough to at least partially limit a person's daily activities. 1
Participants were split into an intervention group and a control group. and a control group. Participants in the intervention group received six supervised educational sessions and walking plans from a physical therapist. These walking programs were individualized, but participants in the intervention group were encouraged to commit to a program of 30 minutes of walking five times a week for six months. 1
The study began in September 2019 and will end in June 2022, with Pokovi's team following the two groups for one to three years. Three months after the start of the study, participants wore accelerometers for seven days to allow researchers to track their steps and the number of steps they took when walking briskly.
After analyzing the data, the study authors found that participants in the control group were more likely to experience new back pain than those who walked regularly. On average, people in the control group experienced another episode of back pain after 112 days, while people in the walking group took an average of 208 days before it recurred.
"We've always felt that walking works, but we were surprised that such a simple intervention could be so effective," Pokovi said. "This really highlights the benefits of keeping people active."
The results are interesting, but they have some limitations. First, participants did not wear accelerometers throughout the study, so it is difficult to say whether the observed benefits of walking plateaued at a certain pace. Additionally, most of the study's participants were women. . Although back pain is more prevalent among women, it is unclear whether the findings apply universally. 1
As for why walking can prevent back pain, experts agreed that both factors are closely related.
"Regular walking strengthens leg and core muscles, improves aerobic capacity, controls weight, and reduces stress and tension," Cook explained. "All of these can help relieve back pain."
And walking doesn't just help improve back pain. In general, "exercise reduces pain by reducing stiffness and fatigue that can occur with sedentary activities," Dr. Elizabeth Yu, an orthopedic surgeon at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, told Health magazine. . In addition to reducing pain, regular exercise and walking "can also help boost strength, flexibility, mood, and energy," Yu says.
If you want to try walking to combat back pain, you should be able to do so safely. However, people with certain health problems should consult with their doctor before making significant changes to their daily steps.
In addition, people with back pain should keep in mind that "exercise doesn't have to be strenuous, especially when you're in pain," Yu adds. If you haven't been active in a while, a slow, brisk walk is a good idea. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's sample walking plan recommends starting with 10 minutes of walking a day, four times a week, and gradually increasing the time, pace, and frequency. After two months, set a goal of walking briskly for 35 minutes, five times a week.
In addition, Cook said everyone should take certain safety precautions before starting a new walking program. This includes:
Make sure you're wearing shoes with adequate support
Walk with a partner or let a friend or family member know when you'll be back from your walk.
Before you set out, eat a snack and drink water to stay hydrated and fueled.
Be aware of the weather so you don't spend too much time in dangerous temperatures
Be aware of your surroundings as you walk
It's normal to feel some pain when starting a new exercise program. But anything more than mild discomfort should stop you and consult a doctor.
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