Walking
Walking
I often give this advice: – bodies love to move, and walking is free, easy and requires no more than a pair or comfortable shoes (okay, a waterproof too, this is Britain, after all). It’s a great feeling when science backs up your advice so beautifully.
I read an article last week in the Guardian by Andrew Gregory, Health Editor, he came up with some good data just how beneficial walking is for back pain. Here is the essence of it…
Walking three times a week ‘nearly halves’ recurrence of low back pain…Australian research finds people who walked three to five times weekly stayed pain-free almost twice as long
Walking three times a week to ease back pain almost halves the risk of its recurrence, according to the first study of its kind.
About 800 million people worldwide have low back pain, and seven in 10 who recover experience flare-ups within a year.
Researchers said the findings, published in the Lancet, show walking could have a “profound impact” on the leading cause of disability worldwide.
“You don’t need to be walking 5 or 10km every day to get these benefits,” said Mark Hancock, the study’s senior author and a professor of physiotherapy at Macquarie University in Australia.
“The important thing to remember is to start with short walks then gradually increase the distance and intensity as your fitness increases. Walking is a low-cost, widely accessible and simple exercise that almost anyone can engage in, regardless of geographic location, age or socioeconomic status.”
Hancock said people who walked three to five times a week, for an average of 130 minutes a week, remained pain-free for nearly twice as long compared with those who did not receive any treatment.
Taking regular steps also improved their quality of life, and the time they had to take off work almost halved, he added.
He added: “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
“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.”
“The thing with back pain is most people’s instinct is to not do anything, because even taking a step can send a jolt or spasm up your back,” he said. “Exercise is a path to reducing pain in the long term, so if you have a flare-up, you should keep doing what you can.”
So, in summary, walk when you can, add a little walk in wherever it’s possible. Stroll down to the corner shop, step out in your lunch break, go on longer country walks when you are away, leave the car at home if you can now and then, walk with your friends and family while you catch up.
It doesn’t really matter how you do it, but the benefits are obvious.
