Walking Could Resolve Lower Back Pain According to New Research
Touted as one of the most underrated forms of movement going, a simple walk is widely known to have benefits for our mental health and body weight, but a new study suggests it could help in the reduction of lower back pain. The new research is warmly welcome, with as high as 84% of people experiencing lower back pain in their lives, regardless of age group.
Recently published in The Lancet, this study could lead the way in transforming the way we address lower back pain. The researchers completed the study with the aim of evaluating an accessible and affordable method of self management for those who struggle with back issues.
701 participants took part in the trial who had recently recovered from an episode of lower back pain. According to the study, almost 7 in 10 people who recover from an episode of low back pain will experience a recurrence within the following year.
The participants were randomly allocated to either an individualised walking programme and 6 physiotherapy based education sessions over six months, or to a no treatment control group. For one to three years participants were contacted via email to complete a monthly questionnaire establishing whether they experienced a recurrence of low back pain.
The researchers found that the individualised, progressive walking and education intervention substantially reduced low back pain recurrence compared with the no treatment control group. There were also reductions in back pain related disability in the intervention group for up to a year. The walking group was, unsurprisingly, deemed to be a cost effective intervention for participants.
According to Lead author Dr Natasha Pocovi, '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,'
The researcher explained, '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. Our study has shown that this effective and accessible means of exercise has the potential to be successfully implemented at a much larger scale than other forms of exercise.'
The research has promise to change the way we approach lower back pain in a clinical setting, challenging recommendations that sufferers reduce movement or take part in expensive methods of exercise, and perhaps instead, encouraging them to take part in a simple walk.
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