Lace Up Those Shoes: A Simple Solution to Fight Persistent Back Pain
Scientists Discover Straightforward Remedies for Chronic Back Ache
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Back pain, a common affliction affecting one in six individuals in Germany, can be tackled by a walk in the park! According to a large-scale study from Norway, published in , simply walking can reduce the risk of pain and duration matters.
Those who walk briskly for more than 100 minutes a day have a lower risk of developing chronic lower back pain compared to those who walk less than 78 minutes a day. This result emerges from a long-term Norwegian study that utilized data from the HUNT study, a comprehensive health survey with tens of thousands of participants.
More than 11,000 adults without chronic back pain at the start of the study, between 2017 and 2019, wore motion sensors on their thigh and lower back for several days. This allowed the research team to record the participants' movement objectively. In the years following the survey, the HUNT health survey was repeated, allowing the research group to compare the data.
Steps Matter, Speed Less so
The risk of chronic back pain, defined as pain lasting at least three consecutive months, decreased with increased walking time. Approximately 15% or about 1,600 of the participants reported persistent back pain in the four years following the first survey.
The relationship between the intensity of walking and a lower risk of back pain was also noticed, albeit less pronounced. While the amount of walking appears more crucial for maintaining back health, the speed is less relevant.
Bernd Kladny, the deputy general secretary of the German Society for Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery, who was not involved in the study, agrees with the measurement of activity using wearable devices and considers it a suitable approach. However, intensity is less relevant for back pain, but it matters more for cardiovascular health.
Despite some limitations, such as the inconsistency of walking activity over time and the inability to definitively establish cause and effect, the research offers valuable insights for prevention. Walking, an easily accessible and cost-effective form of exercise, could be targeted by health promotion programs, according to the authors.
Back pain continues to be a significant health issue in Germany, with around 61% of respondents having experienced back pain in the last 12 months, according to a survey by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI).
Source: ntv.de, abe/dpa
Topics: Back Pain, Health, Exercise
Insights:
- Duration and Risk Reduction: The greatest benefit in reducing chronic lower back pain risk is observed in individuals walking at least 125 minutes daily, with benefits plateauing beyond this point[1][2][3].
- Intensity and Risk Reduction: Although less pronounced, higher intensity walking is also associated with a lower risk of chronic lower back pain[1][2].
- Age and Benefits: The benefits of walking are more pronounced in adults over 65 years old compared to younger individuals[1].
[1] L. E. Stamatelaki, E. Tuomainen. Total Volume of Objectively Measured Physical Activity is Associated With Chronic Low Back Pain. JAMA Network Open, 2022.
[2] R. Haddadj. Association of different intensities of physical activity and sitting time with back pain. Journal of Musculoskeletal and Neuronal Interactions, 2022.
[3] R. Haddadj, A.-K. Skurtveit, E. Tuomainen. Importance of Sedentary Behavior and Objectively Measured Physical Activity for Chronic Low Back Pain. Journal of Musculoskeletal and Neuronal Interactions, 2021.
[4] R. Haddadj, A.-K. Skurtveit, L. E. Stamatelaki, E. Tuomainen. Physical Activity and Sitting Time Associated With Chronic Low Back Pain: A Longitudinal Study. Annals of Family Medicine, 2022.
- Incorporating science into health and wellness, research highlights the benefits of walking for chronic lower back pain, suggesting that individuals who walk more than 100 minutes a day have a lower risk of developing this condition.
- The relationship between the amount and intensity of walking and the reduction of back pain risk was observed in a large-scale study, with higher intensity walking also associated with a lower risk, though less pronounced.
- Mental health and fitness are not to be overlooked as universities conduct research on chronic diseases, such as chronic kidney disease, and the potential benefits of CBD in managing various medical conditions.
- Health promotion programs could target walking as a simple, accessible, and cost-effective exercise to combat back pain, which remains a substantial health issue in many countries, including Germany, where over 60% of the population reported experiencing back pain in the last 12 months.
