Walking May Do Wonders for Back Pain, Study Finds

Follow Drugslib on

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com.

By Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, June 20, 2024 -- If you've recovered from lower back pain, try walking away from a recurrence.

New research out of Australia shows that folks who started a walking regimen kept recurrent back pain episodes at bay for much longer than people who didn't.

“We don’t know exactly why walking is so good for preventing back pain, but it is likely to include the combination of the gentle oscillatory movements, loading and strengthening the spinal structures and muscles, relaxation and stress relief, and release of ‘feel-good’ endorphins," said senior study author Mark Hancock. He's a professor of physiotherapy at Macquarie University in Sydney.

Over 800 million people around the world suffer from low back pain, according to background information from the study authors. In 7 of 10 cases, the pain will ease -- only to return later.

Special exercise programs, along with educating patients about back pain, are typically part of standard care aimed at preventing a recurrence.

Hancock's team wondered if plain old walking might help.

"Walking is a low-cost, widely accessible and simple exercise that almost anyone can engage in, regardless of geographic location, age or socio-economic status," he reasoned in a Macquarie news release.

In the new trial, 701 adults who had recently recovered from an episode of low back pain were randomized to either an individualized walking program and six physiotherapist-guided education sessions over six months, or a control group that got neither.

The result: “The intervention group had fewer occurrences of activity-limiting pain compared to the control group, and a longer average period before they had a recurrence, with a median of 208 days compared to 112 days” before a recurrence, Hancock said.

The findings were published June 19 in The Lancet journal.

Study lead author Dr. Natasha Pocovi said that walking's benefits went beyond just the elimination of pain.

“It not only improved people’s quality of life, but it reduced their need both to seek healthcare support and the amount of time taken off work by approximately half,” said Pocovi, who is a postdoctoral fellow at Macquarie.

The walking program was also uncomplicated and cheap.

“The exercise-based interventions to prevent back pain that have been explored previously are typically group-based and need close clinical supervision and expensive equipment, so they are much less accessible to the majority of patients," Pocovi explained.

"And of course, we also know that walking comes with many other health benefits, including cardiovascular health, bone density, healthy weight and improved mental health," Hancock added.

Sources

  • Macquarie University, news release, June 19, 2024

    • Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

    Source: HealthDay

    Posted : 2024-06-20 23:15

    Read more

    Disclaimer

    Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

    The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

    Popular Keywords