Walking has wonderful benefits for our health.
From improving physical health like cardiovascular fitness, bone strength, and weight management, to boosting mental well-being, mood, and cognitive function; walking can change our lives.
But it can do even more…
Walking helps improve blood flow, mobilizes the nervous system, activates our muscles, and nourishes our joints with safe and complex movements.
This may be the reason why studies have found that just walking can improve back pain.
Here are the 3 studies:
“A six-week walk training programme was as effective as six weeks of specific strengthening exercises programme for the low back.” (source)
“Both groups [core strengthening and walking] demonstrated significant reductions in pain intensity and functional disability and increases in multifidus muscle activation at the end of the study” (source)
This study on a walking program for back pain “found significant improvements over time on the Oswestry Disability Index (Primary Outcome), the Numerical Rating Scale, Fear Avoidance-PA scale, and the EuroQol EQ-5D-3L Weighted Health Index” (source)
Where to Start
Aerobic exercise is proven to be effective in reducing pain.
Maybe this is the simple mechanism of why walking reduces low back pain.
The key is finding the right aerobic exercise for your body.
A simple cost-effective and easy one is walking. And with our hills and mountains here in Asheville, it’s easy to make it more strenuous.
So if you’re struggling with back pain, try taking up a walking program for 6 weeks and see if it improves.
The solution may be that simple