Regular walking can reduce back pain recurrence, study finds

A new study found that walking for half an hour five days a week made recurrences of lower back pain almost half as frequent. The authors said more focus on preventive care could lead to large future savings.

A study published in the medical journal The Lancet this week recommends regular walks as a cheap and easy way to potentially prevent recurring back pain.

Trials showed that patients who went for half-hour walks five times a week and received coaching from a physiotherapist had fewer flare-ups than a control group.

The researchers said patients also reported improved perceived quality of life and that the amount of time they took off work was reduced by almost half.