A recent study discovered that walking for 30 minutes every day, five days a week, resulted in a significant reduction, almost a 50% decrease, in the frequency of recurring lower back pain episodes. The study's authors suggested that a greater emphasis on preventive care might yield substantial cost savings in the long run.
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Studies demonstrated that individuals who engaged in 30-minute walks, five times a week, and received guidance from a physical therapist experienced fewer episodes of exacerbation as compared to a control group.
Participating patients reported a noticeable enhancement in their perceived quality of life and took off nearly half the length of time from work.
Affordable and low-maintenance activity suitable for nearly everyone.
The authors expressed the belief that these low-cost and straightforward steps could potentially have a "profound impact" on a health issue that is the leading cause of disability globally.
"Exercise that involves walking can be achieved by almost anyone, with or without financial means, everywhere in the world and at any age," stated co-author Mark Hancock, a physiotherapy professor at Macquarie University in Australia.
Approximately 800 million people globally are estimated to experience lower back pain. Of those who have overcome an episode, around 7 in 10 people also report experiencing recurring lower back pain within the span of a year.
How was the study conducted?
The study tracked 700 adults that had recently recovered from an episode of lower back pain for as long up to three years.
Half of them, selected at random, were assigned to a customized walking program and physiotherapy support, whereas the remainder were enrolled in a control group, left to decide on personal or medical measures they considered necessary.
"The intervention group experienced fewer instances of disabling pain compared to the control group, and a longer average duration before their symptoms recurred, with a median of 208 days compared to 112 days," Hancock stated.
Why is walking beneficial for your back?
"We don't fully understand why walking is effective in preventing back pain, but it likely involves the synergy of gentle, oscillatory movements, the strengthening of spinal structures and muscles through loads, relaxation, stress relief, and the release of endorphins associated with feelings of well-being," Hancock hypothesized.
He pointed out that walking also brings many other significant health benefits, such as protecting cardiovascular health, maintaining strong bone density, aiding in weight loss, and enhancing mental well-being.
The study's authors observed that lower back pain was becoming a more frequent health problem worldwide, partly due to increased life expectancy and the widespread adoption of inactive work and leisure activities.
They pointed out that, given the increasing strain on health systems worldwide, insufficient resources are being devoted to research, prevention, and treatment in this area.
msh/sms (dpa, Lancet)