Study Shows Walking Reduces Lower Back Pain Recurrence

Lower back pain affects millions of people each year, but some treatment options, like working with personal trainers or using specialized equipment for exercise, are not always accessible or affordable.

A recent study in Australia found that walking, a free and accessible exercise, can help reduce lower back pain recurrence.

“The nice thing about walking is that everybody knows how to do it. People can do it in any location or any place. It’s not difficult to teach anybody how to safely walk,” said Naileshni S. Singh, MD, a pain medicine specialist at UC Davis Health who was not involved in the study. 

The study included 701 adults with a history of non-specific low back pain, meaning the pain did not result from an obvious disease or incident. Half of the study participants engaged in an individualized walking program, while the other half did not receive any intervention.

The participants assigned to the walking program also worked with a physical therapist throughout the study. The physical therapists provided education on basic pain science and strategies for reducing lower back pain recurrence.

Singh said the study didn’t specify whether the walking itself or the interaction with a physical therapist helped reduce lower back pain.

Why Might Walking Reduce Lower Back Pain?

Light physical activity, rather than bed rest, is often recommended for managing non-specific low back pain. Exercises like Pilates, yoga, and walking can all build core and back strength, which may lead to back pain relief.

“Everybody is different and some people respond better to yoga than walking for pain management and vice versa. I usually recommend that people try different combinations of activities to see what helps them feel their best,” Tayler Boswell, PT, DPT, CSCS, a physical therapist at Mountain Land Physical Therapy Holladay clinic in Salt Lake City, told Verywell in an email.

Walking is a low-risk exercise that increases blood flow and reduces stiffness in the back. Unlike other activities, walking does not require you to twist your spine, which could increase back pain for some people.

Boswell said he often recommends starting with three or four short walks—about five to ten minutes—per week.

“As long as their back pain does not increase at this frequency, I recommend adding another day of walking each week or increasing the amount of walking time by another 5 to 10 minutes,” he said.

Walking May Reduce Pain by Improving Mood

The study did not determine exactly why walking reduced lower back pain recurrence, but mood improvements may have played a role.

“We know that patients who have more depressive symptoms or anxious symptoms do have worsened pain,” Singh said. “That’s true of pretty much every pain condition, including back pain.”

Walking and other aerobic exercises trigger the release of endorphins, chemical messengers in the brain that can naturally help relieve pain and improve your mood. Studies have suggested that social interaction and spending time in nature can reduce pain, so taking a walk outside with others may also help.

“If you have a mood problem, you have a pain problem and if you add in exercise, it probably helps both,” Singh said.

However, walking is not right for everyone with low back pain, especially during the first few days after the pain starts.

“When pain is highly flared up, it may not be a good idea to do too much activity because the heat that is produced by working muscles could lead to more inflammation and thus more pain,” Boswell said.

During those instances, Boswell recommends using an ice pack on the painful area or talking to a healthcare provider about other pain management options, including medication. However, if a person is only experiencing a moderate flare-up, walking for two to five minutes can help ease the pain by increasing blood flow and reducing stiffness.

“Managing back pain is multifactorial, especially when the pain becomes chronic, so it is often beneficial to combine several different activities and lifestyle habits to manage and prevent this pain. In addition to walking, the research shows that getting adequate sleep, staying hydrated, and better understanding the causes of pain can be helpful measures,” Boswell said.