If you’ve seen an Osteopath because you have a bad back, a common bit of advice you’ve probably heard is that you should go for a walk.
While I was taught this at University (over 10 years ago) and it’s a bit of advice I give out daily; I thought I would re-examine this topic to see if research backs up (pun intended) this advice.
First of all, we know that inactivity like sitting too long, lack of consistent exercise or bending can lead to increased incidences of lower back pain.
Also, we know that movement in the early stages of back pain will speed up your recovery and not make it worse. (Study)
Therefore we have established that movement is good for us when we have back pain, but is walking more specifically useful than doing other forms of exercise?
A great study compared walking with other forms of physical exercises, the aim was to see if one was superior to the other. The findings were that walking improved lower back pain, disability and quality of life. When compared to other forms of exercises, walking wasn’t shown to be superior.
This means walking is as good as going for a run or doing core stability work for lower back pain, isn’t this great?
Obviously, other forms of exercises may have additional benefits but for your back pain, going for a walk is just as good (and it’s easier).
Walking seems to benefit people with chronic (long-term) pain as well. So it’s not just for those who have back pain that has come on suddenly. (Study)
Other studies have found similar results.
Now we know that walking is good for us, the question then leads on to how much we need to do. As always dosage is key to get the benefits (water can kill if you drink enough).
It was a little harder to find exact amounts. A study asked nearly fifty thousand people about their walking habits and incidences of lower back pain.
They concluded that walking just three times a week for 30mins was enough to significantly lower your risk of developing lower back pain. In the general scheme of things, this is an insignificant amount of time when you think of the benefits.
If you find that walking for 30mins in one go is difficult due to busy lifestyle, kids etc, there are other ways you get your activity in during the day and still get similar benefits. This is especially important for those who sit or stand in one position most the day.
A study found that having breaks every 25mins for 5mins was essential to prevent the onset of lower back pain. This one is a little harder to do but demonstrates the importance of movement for our lower backs.
So the take-home message is:
- Walk at least three times a week for 30-60mins.
- Take 5min breaks every 25minutes if you stand or sit all day.
Unfortunately doing these doesn’t mean your back is invincible but it can really help you and us Osteopaths when dealing with your back pain.
I understand not everyone can do this, more so if your back pain is so bad you cannot even stand, but walking, once better can help reduce your chances of getting to that stage.
This nicely links to a project we have created at Heavitree Osteopaths called the #ManyMilesExeter Club. This is to encourage more of our patients to get out and get active to prevent musculoskeletal problems.
Here is a link if you want to know more and have the chance to win a free T-shirt or some free treatment.
March 23, 2021. Andrew Horide, Osteopath