Oslo: A new study from Norway suggests that walking for more than 100 minutes per day could reduce the risk of developing chronic low back pain. Norwegian University of Science and Technology researchers analyzed health data from over 11,000 adults between 2017 and 2023 as part of the Trøndelag Health (HUNT) Study.
None of the participants had chronic back pain at the start. Scientists tracked both the duration and intensity of daily walking. They found that those who walked over 100 minutes daily had a 23% lower risk of developing chronic back pain than those who walked less than 78 minutes.
The study, published in JAMA Network Open, was led by Rayane Haddadj, MS, who emphasised that walking volume had a more substantial effect than walking intensity. Though a faster pace also helped, duration mattered more.
Haddadj explained that low back pain is a leading cause of disability globally. Identifying simple, low-cost preventive measures is crucial. He added that walking is an accessible activity that could be promoted through public health strategies.
However, some experts expressed caution. Dr. Neel Anand, a spine specialist at Cedars-Sinai Spine Centre in Los Angeles, told Medical News Today that while walking aids in managing existing back pain, it may not entirely prevent it. He warned against overgeneralizing the study’s findings, noting that back pain often stems from degenerative conditions that are not wholly avoidable through walking.
Still, the researchers stress that increasing daily movement can benefit overall health. The World Health Organization backs this idea, saying that even small activity boosts matter. Further studies are being planned to explore when and how walking most helps.
