A new study shows that walking every day can lower the risk of getting long-term lower back pain.
The findings are simple but powerful: people who walk more each day are less likely to develop back problems, no matter how fast they walk. Just walking more is what counts the most.
The study was led by researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), and the results were published in the medical journal JAMA Network Open. The study involved more than 11,000 people from Norway and is part of a large research project called the HUNT Study, which looks at the health of people in the region of Trøndelag.
Rayane Haddadj, a PhD student at NTNU, helped lead the research. He explained that people who walked more than 100 minutes each day had a 23% lower risk of developing long-term lower back pain compared to those who walked 78 minutes or less. That means even a slow walk can protect your back if you do it for long enough.
The researchers used small sensors on the thighs and backs of participants to measure how much and how fast they walked over the course of a week. This gave them accurate information about the physical activity levels of each person.
What they found was clear: walking more is better for your back. It doesn’t have to be fast or intense walking—even slow, casual strolls were shown to help. While walking faster can offer some benefits, the most important factor was simply walking longer.
This is important news because back pain is one of the most common health problems people face. In Norway, for example, about 60 to 80 percent of people will have back problems at some point in their lives.
At any given time, around one in five Norwegians has back pain. The problem is not only common, but it also costs healthcare systems a lot of money. In Norway, musculoskeletal problems, including back and neck pain, are one of the biggest healthcare expenses.
Professor Paul Jarle Mork, another researcher involved in the study, said that this new information can help people prevent long-term back problems. He pointed out that physical activity is already known to prevent many illnesses. Now we know it also helps prevent lower back pain.
The causes of back pain are often complex. They can involve things like poor posture, sitting for too long, lifting incorrectly, or other injuries. But this study offers a simple solution: get outside and walk every day. Even if you are busy or not in perfect shape, a daily walk can make a real difference over time.
In summary, this study confirms that walking daily—even at a slow pace—can help prevent lower back problems. People who walk more have a lower risk of pain and disability later in life.
These findings may also reduce healthcare costs and improve quality of life for many people. The advice is clear: put on your shoes and take a walk each day—it’s one of the easiest things you can do to stay healthy.
The study is published in JAMA Network Open.
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