Suffering From Lower Back Pain? This One Simple Exercise May Help You Manage It

Did you know more than 600 million people around the world suffer from lower back pain? This is not an exaggeration. 2020 data by the World Health Organization found that 619 million people globally suffer from lower back pain. The number can be much higher in 2025. It is also believed to be the leading cause of disability.

Life's hustle may make exercise fall by the wayside, leading to more pain. However, you may just need to do one exercise every day to manage the pain.

Walking For Lower Back Pain: What The Study Has Found

If you have been experiencing lower back pain, you just need one exercise to manage it, according to a new study published in The Lancet.

A clinical trial led by researchers at Macquarie University's Spinal Pain Research Group found that walking can help you not just manage but fix the problem. 

According to the researchers, 7 in 10 people who recover from an episode may experience it again within a year. Repeated episodes are a common occurrence in people with lower back pain. 

For the study, researchers observed 701 adults who had lower back pain and were given individualised walking programs and physiotherapy sessions for 6 months. After following the participants for between 1 and 3 years, they found that walking can help lower back pain.

Explaining that the exact reason why walking works for preventing back pain, researchers say that it could be because of the combination of the gentle oscillatory movements, loading and strengthening the spinal structures and muscles, relaxation and stress relief, and release of feel-good hormones. 

What Other Studies Say? 

Regular exercise, including walking, can reduce lower back pain by 50 percent, according to a study published in the National Center for Biotechnology Information.

A 2024 study published in the journal Medicine also found that walking is one of the most effective exercises for managing long-term back pain relief. It is believed to be more effective than yoga.

How Many Minutes Should You Walk To Manage Back Pain?

Dr Manjusha Agarwal, Senior Consultant Internal Medicine, Gleneagles Hospital Parel, Mumbai told NDTV, "Even short walks of 20 minutes can help reduce lower back pain by relaxing muscles and releasing endorphins. Regular walking can also strengthen core and help tackle back pain. However, back pain accompanied by immobility and interference in doing daily activities will require prompt intervention from the doctor."

He added that you should have an everyday routine that includes yoga, stretching, and back strengthening exercises as well to prevent back pain.