Walking lots regularly, even slowly can help to prevent chronic back pain

A new Norwegian study found that people who walk a lot have less back pain than people who do not walk much and the volume is what matters most, not the intensity. 11,194 people participated in the study, part of the Trøndelag Health Study (The HUNT Study) and wore sensors on their thighs and backs to measure the duration and intensity of their activity.

The results of the study from the Department of Public Health and Nursing at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, published in the JAMA Network Open Journal, found volume is what matters most not the intensity which is important as individuals experiencing back pain often walk with less intensity. This study shows it is better to walk a lot than to walk fast.

The study found that individuals who walked more than 100 minutes every day had a 23% lower risk of lower back problems than those who walked 78 minutes or less.