NEW DELHI: Walking for a minimum 30 minutes daily can help reduce low back pain, a world-first trial to assess effectiveness of low-cost exercise has shown.
It was carried out on 701 persons (mean age 54 years) living in various parts of Australia who had recently recovered from non-specific low back pain that lasted for 24 hours (non-specific meaning there was no specific diagnosis or known cause for the condition).
Researchers divided these persons randomly into two groups: intervention and no treatment control group. The intervention group took to progressive walking for at least 30 minutes daily for six months under the guidance of a trained physiotherapist. Participants from the intervention and the no treatment control group were followed for a minimum of 12 to 36 months.
According to results of the trial called WalkBack, published in The Lancet – a reputed medical journal, daily walk was effective in preventing an episode of activity-limiting low back pain. “The median days to a recurrence of low back pain was 208 days in intervention group and 112 days in control group,” the study states.
Dr Rajesh Malhotra, senior consultant, orthopaedics at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in Delhi said non-specific low back pain is common, especially in people with jobs requiring prolonged sitting. “It is a problem of poor posture, in most cases. I see five to see such patients daily,” Dr Malhotra said.
Dr Deepak Chaudhary, senior director and head of department, arthroscopy and sports medicine at B L Kapur hospital said multiple studies have shown even in the past that movement is key to reduce low back pain, and many people on the contrary restrict themselves to complete bed rest for prolonged periods.
It was carried out on 701 persons (mean age 54 years) living in various parts of Australia who had recently recovered from non-specific low back pain that lasted for 24 hours (non-specific meaning there was no specific diagnosis or known cause for the condition).
Researchers divided these persons randomly into two groups: intervention and no treatment control group. The intervention group took to progressive walking for at least 30 minutes daily for six months under the guidance of a trained physiotherapist. Participants from the intervention and the no treatment control group were followed for a minimum of 12 to 36 months.
According to results of the trial called WalkBack, published in The Lancet – a reputed medical journal, daily walk was effective in preventing an episode of activity-limiting low back pain. “The median days to a recurrence of low back pain was 208 days in intervention group and 112 days in control group,” the study states.
Dr Rajesh Malhotra, senior consultant, orthopaedics at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in Delhi said non-specific low back pain is common, especially in people with jobs requiring prolonged sitting. “It is a problem of poor posture, in most cases. I see five to see such patients daily,” Dr Malhotra said.
Dr Deepak Chaudhary, senior director and head of department, arthroscopy and sports medicine at B L Kapur hospital said multiple studies have shown even in the past that movement is key to reduce low back pain, and many people on the contrary restrict themselves to complete bed rest for prolonged periods.
