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Walking to combat back pain: study shows dramatic improvement
New research from Macquarie University’s Spinal Pain Research Group has the potential to change the way low back pain is managed, making effective interventions accessible to more people than ever before. About four million Australians – and 800 million people worldwide – have low back pain, which is a leading cause of disability and reduced quality of life.
The trial followed 701 adults who had recently recovered from an episode of low back pain, randomly allocating participants to either an individualised walking program facilitated by a physiotherapist and six education sessions across six months, or to a no-intervention control group. “We don’t know exactly why walking is so good for preventing back pain, but it is likely to include the combination of gentle oscillatory movements, loading and strengthening the spinal structures and muscles, relaxation and stress relief, and the release of ‘feel-good’ endorphins. A cost-effective option The paper’s lead author, Postdoctoral Fellow Dr Natasha Pocovi, says in addition to providing participants with longer pain-free periods, they found the program was also cost effective.
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