Back pain is a common complaint among patients, and a new study published in the journal “The Lancet” has found that regular walking can help reduce back pain flare-ups and absences from work due to them. Approximately 800 million people worldwide suffer from lower back pain, and seven out of ten who recover experience a recurrence of pain within six months.
In the study, 700 adults who had recently recovered from lower back pain were examined. Half of them were randomly assigned an adapted walking program and received assistance from a physical therapist, while the other half continued with other treatments. The group that participated in the walking program experienced fewer back pain flare-ups and reported an improvement in their quality of life.
Prof. Mark Hancock, the lead researcher from Macquarie University in Australia, suggested that walking is a simple, accessible, and effective exercise that can benefit almost anyone regardless of age or socioeconomic status. Walking may help prevent back pain by providing gentle movements, strengthening spinal structures and muscles, promoting relaxation, and releasing pain-relieving endorphins. Additionally, walking offers many other health benefits, such as improving cardiovascular health, bone density, weight loss, and mental health.
Overall, the study highlights the importance of regular walking as a preventative measure for lower back pain and suggests that incorporating this simple exercise into daily routines can have significant benefits for overall health and well-being.