Avoid back pain with a simple lifestyle change

Low back pain affects at least 619 million people worldwide, and according to research estimates this number is expected to rise to 843 million by 2050, and unfortunately, experts say that nearly 70% of people who recover from a low back pain episode recur within a year. In addition to severe physical discomfort and loss of work time, treatment often requires education, physical therapy and exercises such as Pilates that may require money or specialized equipment. Healthcare workers and hospital staff talk about medication service and health feedback Your level of physical activity can be a vital sign, however, according to a recent randomized clinical trial, there is an easy and free way to prevent low back pain, at least for a while. This study showed that people who walked regularly after experiencing at least one episode of low back pain were almost twice as pain-free compared to those who did not. Lead researcher Mark Hancock, professor of physical therapy at Macquarie University in Sydney, said: "The intervention group had fewer cases of activity-limiting pain than the control group and a longer average period before recurrence, with an average of 208 days compared to 112 days. Mr Hancock continued: "Walking is a simple, low-cost, widely accessible exercise that can be practiced by almost anyone, regardless of geographical location, age or socioeconomic status.

Walk for at least 30 minutes

The study, recently published in The Lancet, followed 701 Australian adults, mostly women in their fifties, who had recently recovered from a bout of low back pain that hampered their ability to perform daily activities. Each person was randomly assigned to an observation group without any individual walking and education intervention or program. Participants in the intervention group were asked to practice up to 30 minutes of walking five times a week over six months at age-adjusted speeds, physical ability, and individual preferences. Running was also allowed. "After three months, most of the people who participated were walking three to five days a week for an average of 130 minutes," Hancock told CNN via email. Participants were asked to wear pedometers to track their daily steps and keep a walking diary. Three months after the program, they also wore an accelerometer that objectively measured the number of daily steps and the amount of brisk walking or other physical activity. The program also offered six physiotherapist-guided learning sessions over a six-month period, a more expensive model than conventional therapy.

Cost-effective intervention

Natasha Bukovi, lead study author and postdoctoral fellow at Macquarie University, said: "The walking program halved the amount of time it takes to stop work and medical visits. :(Exercise-based interventions to prevent back pain and previously explored treatments are typically cluster-based and require close clinical supervision and expensive equipment, so the majority of patients can't access them much and afford them)," said Bokovi. "Our study has shown that this effective and accessible means of exercise has the potential to be successfully implemented on a much larger scale than other forms of exercise." Mr Hancock said that given the structure of the study, it was not possible to quantify the benefit of walking or the educational programme offered by physiotherapists. "We believe the two elements are likely to complement each other, as education helps overcome avoidance and fear of movement, while a health training and walking program has led to behaviour change," he said. However, because the intervention seemed like behavioral training, rather than actual physical therapy, walking may indeed have been the main cause of improvement.

What does walking do to the body?

What walking is so useful for low back pain? First, exercise is beneficial for every part of the body. "First, a person sits less, and sitting is not the best position for the back," says Millar. "Second, walking will improve overall circulation, and will improve blood circulation to the back muscles that effectively support the individual during movement. Joint movement also helps distribute joint fluid, so the joint's joints may benefit from movement. Experts say that walking improves metabolism and the amount of calories burned. Lower weight can reduce the burden on the back and legs, ensuring better spinal health. Brisk walking also improves the strength of the core muscles around the spine and in the legs, all of which can improve posture and provide better support for the spine. Walking also increases muscle endurance, ensuring that muscles become less prone to fatigue and injury. Weight-bearing exercises such as walking also increase bone density, protect against injury as they stimulate the release of endorphins, the body's natural hormones that help you feel happy and reduce pain and stress. Millar also says :(When starting a walking program, it is necessary to wear good shoes and arch supports, and potential problems may be compensated by exercise programs such as resistance and stretching training." "I also think it's important to have varied steps and distances throughout the week. Some problems result from progressing too quickly, and not paying attention to the initial pain.