A groundbreaking study has discovered that adults who have a history of low back pain can go almost twice as long without experiencing a recurrence of their back pain if they engage in regular walking. This is the first study of its kind to make this connection. Low back pain affects approximately 800 million people globally and is a significant contributor to disability and diminished quality of life. It is also common for individuals to experience repeated episodes of low back pain, with seven out of ten people who recover from an episode going on to have another episode in the future.A study by Macquarie University’s Spinal Pain Research Group examined whether walking could be a practical and affordable intervention for back pain management. The study involved 701 adults who had recovered from a recent episode of low back pain. They were randomly assigned to either a personalized walking program and six physiTherapy-led education sessions were conducted over a period of six months, compared to a control group. The participants were monitored for one to three years, with the results now published in the latest edition of “The Lancet.” Macquarie University Professor of Physiotherapy, Mark Hancock, who is the senior author of the paper, suggests that the results could significantly influence the management of low back pain. He notes that the intervention group experienced fewer instances of pain that limited their activities compared to the control group, and had a longer average period before experiencing a recurrence.
According to Professor Hancock, the median duration of back pain relief achieved through walking is 208 days, as opposed to 112 days.
He also emphasized that walking is a low-cost, easily accessible, and uncomplicated form of physical activity that can be done by almost anyone, regardless of where they live, how old they are, or their economic status.
Although the exact reason why walking is effective in preventing back pain is not known, it is believed to involve a combination of gentle rhythmic movements, the strengthening and loading of spinal structures and muscles, relaxation and stress reduction, and the release of endorphins that make you feel good.
Furthermore, walking is known to have numerous other health benefits, such as improving cardiovascular health.th, bone density, healthy weight, and improved mental health.”
Dr. Natasha Pocovi, the lead author, stated that besides providing longer pain-free periods for participants, the program was also very cost-effective.
She added, “It not only improved people’s quality of life, but it also reduced their need to seek healthcare support and the amount of time taken off work by approximately half.”
“The exercise-based interventions that have been previously explored to prevent back pain are typically group-based and require close clinical supervision and expensive equipment, making them much less accessible.”The study revealed that this form of exercise is effective and easy to access, making it suitable for a larger number of patients compared to other types of exercise. Moving forward, the research team aims to investigate how to incorporate this preventive approach into the regular care of patients who suffer from repeated lower back pain.