Is walking good for lower back pain? What does the scientific research say?
Walking as a self-therapy for lower back pain is not new, but modifying the way one walks to correct body movement flaws and muscle imbalances that cause lower back pain is a new and exciting approach. Adding tailored corrections to the way one holds their torso and moves their arms and legs while walking helps to exercise lagging muscle groups that are needed for spine stability and pain relief. This cutting edge self-rehab method, based on new walking lower back pain research, holds great promise for those with lower back pain who seek relief through walking.
Over the last few decades, there has been an increasing body of evidence in the scientific research on lower back pain that supports both walking and spinal stabilization exercise as effective treatments for lower back pain. Most authorities now recognize that over 90% of lower back pain is mechanical in nature. Since both walking and stabilization exercise are also mechanical, they directly address this most common type of lower back pain. The following research studies support both walking and spine stabilization exercise for the relief and prevention of lower back pain.
Suh recommends walking and stabilization exercise to both relieve and prevent chronic low back pain (1). Kim demonstrated an inverse proportional relationship between walking and low back pain (2). Lee and Kang demonstrated that when walking exercise was included with core strength exercise, low back pain relief was greater than core exercise alone (3). Bozorgmehr found significant correlations between mechanical factors such as muscle extensibility and muscular endurance and non-specific (mechanical) low back pain (4). Lamoth found changes in the mechanics of walking in those with lower back pain and suggested that conservative therapy should consider gait (walking) training as well as exercises aimed at improving body mechanics (5). Krein found a significant effect on back pain related disability from using a 6 month walking regimen (6). Sculco showed that low to moderate aerobic exercise in the form of walking or cycling helped low back pain patients by reducing the need for pain medication and physical therapy referrals (7). Callaghan concluded that walking is a wise choice for general back exercise and rehabilitation programs (8). Lee demonstrated that low back stabilization muscles (multifidus) could be activated more with fast walking than slow walking (9). Gorden and Bloxham reviewed 14 different studies and concluded that an exercise program that combines core stabilization and strength, flexibility and aerobic fitness is beneficial for non-specific chronic low back pain (10). Descarreaux found that individualized back rehab exercises based on a specific and individualized evaluation significantly reduced chronic non-specific low back pain and disability more than generic back exercises (11). Stankovic found that stabilization exercise combined with strength exercise is better for chronic low back pain than strength exercise alone for pain relief and return to daily activities (12). Fahmy found that an extension type exercise program was effective at decreasing back pain and increasing range of motion (13). Paolucci found that many types of postural rehabilitative exercises can help chronic low back pain (14). Barzilay found that a homebased biomechanical treatment significantly improved walking mechanics, walking speed, back pain, function, and quality of life in chronic non-specific low back pain patients (15).
These studies, plus many top researchers and authorities on low back pain and rehabilitation, are increasingly recommending walking and/or tailored spinal stabilization and endurance exercise as a means of both relieving and preventing back pain. So, if the experts and current research is recommending that they are both valuable independently, how much more effective would a back therapy program be if it mixed both tailored stabilization/endurance exercises with walking as a singular exercise activity?
This is the where the Walk Away Back Pain™ program comes in. By using corrective motions in the torso, arms and legs that target a back sufferer’s unique muscle imbalances and mechanical issues that cause back pain, the benefits of both spinal stabilization exercise and walking for lower back pain can be enjoyed in a singular physical activity.
Combining tailored spinal stabilization and conditioning exercises with walking is an easy and effective means to address the cause of most mechanical back pain (which is considered to be over 90% of all back pain). It provides a way to establish new nerve-muscle pathways and stimulate the soft tissues of the spine to support the body’s healing process, while progressively conditioning the back to avoid future pain. Supported by over 150 scientific research studies, the Walk Away Back Pain™ program is the first of its kind to offer the pain relieving benefits of both walking and spine stability exercise.
Dr. Michael C Remy, DABCO, CCSP is a chiropractic sports orthopedist who specializes in custom walking exercises for back pain and spine rehabilitation. His Walk Away Back Pain™ Program offers simple and effective back pain solutions through improved walking movements and techniques.
Disclaimer: Please be advised that any exercise or movement advice given is for general information purposes only. There is no intent to diagnose, treat, or suggest personal advice as per your individual health issues or status. Certain exercise and movement advice given here may be harmful for your condition, and may cause injury or a worsening of your condition, as well as other health problems. Always consult with your own doctor before beginning or changing exercises or body movements.
1. Suh JH et al. (2019) The effect of lumbar stabilization and walking exercises on chronic low back
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2. Kim H et al. (2017) Association between walking and low back pain in the Korean population- A
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3. Lee JS and Kang SJ (2016) The effects of strength exercise and walking on lumbar function, pain
level, and body composition in chronic back pain patients. J Exerc Rehabil 12(5).
4. Bozorgmehr A et al. (2018) Relationships between muscular impairments, pain, and disability in
patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain: a cross sectional study. J Exerc Rehabil 14(6).
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9. Lee HS et al. (2014) Facilitating effects of fast and slope walking on paraspinal muscles. Ann
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10. Gorden R, Bloxham S (2016) A Systematic Review of the Effects of Exercise and Physical Activity
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12. Stankovic A et al. (2012) Lumbar Stabilization Exercises in Addition to Strengthening and
Stretching Exercises Reduce Pain and Increase Function in Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain:
Randomized Clinical Open-Label Study. Turk J Phys Med Rehab (58) 177-83.
13. Fahmy, E et al (2019). Efficacy of spinal extension exercise program versus muscle energy
technique in treatment of chronic mechanical low back pain. Egypt J Neurol Psychiatry Neurosurg 55, 77.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s41983-019-0124-5
14. Paolucci T et al (2019) Chronic Low Back Pain and Postural Rehabilitation Exercise: A Literature
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15. Barzilay Y et al (2016) Patients with Chronic Non-specific Low Back Pain who Reported Reduction
in Pain and Improvement in Function also Demonstrated an Improvement in Gait Pattern. Eur Spine J.
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