[ad_1]
Good news: scientists have discovered a free and easy way to prevent recurring back pain.
It’s as simple as taking a walk.
Spine pain researchers from Macquarie University in Australia have conducted the world’s first study to examine how walking can help prevent recurring back pain.
They found that people who walked with the guidance of a physiotherapist for an average of 30 minutes five times a week stayed pain-free nearly twice as long as those who did not receive treatment.
Regular walking also improved patients’ quality of life and cut the time they had to take off work in half, researchers said.
Publishing their findings in the medical journal The Lancet, the researchers said walking could have a “profound impact” on the disease, which affects around 800 million people worldwide.
Currently, managing and preventing back pain requires a combination of exercise, therapy, and sometimes surgery.
The scientists followed 701 adults who had recently recovered from back pain for one to three years. Half of the participants were given a customized walking program and education sessions by a physiotherapist. The other half received no specific intervention and could receive treatment if their symptoms recurred.
The intervention group experienced less activity-limiting pain and a longer mean time to recurrence.
Lead author Professor Mark Hancock said: “Walking is a low-cost, widely available and simple exercise that almost anyone can undertake, regardless of geographic location, age or socio-economic status.”
“It’s not clear exactly why walking is so good for preventing back pain, but it’s probably a combination of gentle vibration exercise, stress and strengthening of spinal structures and muscles, relaxation and stress relief, and the release of ‘feel good’ endorphins.”
“And of course, walking is known to have many other health benefits, including improved cardiovascular health, bone density, healthy weight and mental health.”
Back pain: statistics
- Around one in six adults in England suffers from some sort of back pain.
- Back pain is the leading cause of disability in the UK
- There are several risk factors, including age, smoking, obesity and heavy lifting at work.
Source: British Arthritis Research Association
Lead author Dr Natasha Pokovi said: “Not only did people’s quality of life improve, but the need to seek medical support and time off work was reduced by around half.”
“Our study shows that this effective and affordable form of exercise could potentially be implemented on a much larger scale than other forms of exercise.”
The researchers now want to further explore how walking can be incorporated into the routine care of patients who experience recurring back pain.
More: Microplastics found in human penises raise fertility concerns
MORE: People on TikTok are drinking castor oil, but is it really good for you?
Read more: Popular tea removed from shelves after insects found in it
Get the latest news, inspiring stories, analysis and more you need to know
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
[ad_2]
Source link
