Being active has many health benefits
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People with recurring back pain seem to avoid discomfort for longer if they take regular walks.
Over 600 million people worldwide I feel pain in this part of my back. Frequent recurrence even after initial resolution. Despite this high prevalence, there is little research on prevention, he says. Tashi Pokobi at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.
Pocovi and her colleagues designed “WalkBack,” a first-of-its-kind controlled trial, to find an inexpensive and relatively accessible way for people to avoid experiencing pain again.
Researchers selected 701 people aged 20 to 82 living across Australia who had experienced back pain without a specific diagnosis, such as a fracture or infection, within the past six months and then resolved it.
On average, they each experienced 33 episodes of back pain, which interfered with daily activities and lasted for at least 24 hours. None of the participants regularly went for walks or participated in an exercise program to manage pain.
Scientists asked 351 of them, with the help of a personal physiotherapist, to develop an individualized walking program aimed at gradually increasing their walking 30 minutes, five days a week, within six months. Pocovi ensures that the program is tailored to each individual to help them stay on track. At 12 weeks, participants walked an average of 130 minutes per week.
They also heard about the latest scientific knowledge on back pain, Pocovi says, to reassure them that moving under the supervision of a physical therapist is safe. “For many people, back pain causes them to avoid and fear movement,” she says.
The remaining 350 volunteers received no such training or referral to a walking program. Pocovi and her team followed all participants for up to three years. Regardless of which group they were in, they were free to seek additional treatment for their pain.
On average, people in the treatment group had their first recurrence of activity-limiting back pain 208 days after the study began, compared to 112 days for people in the control group.
Additionally, half of the control group sought other interventions such as massage and chiropractic care, compared with only 36% of those who followed the walking and education program. However, the latter group was more likely to experience minor exercise complications, such as sprains.
“I think this is probably a convenient tool for clinicians and even patients to go to the clinician,” Pocovi says.
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