Exercise may help ease lower back pain – just as long as the exercise is not specifically targeting the back, a new study suggests.
Researchers found of the nearly 700 patients with low back pain they followed for 18 months, those who walked and got other forms of “recreational” exercise had a lower risk of pain over time.
In contrast, those who performed exercises specifically for their backs appeared to make matters worse.
The new findings, published in the American Journal of Public Health, add to that notion – and point to the benefits of general activity such as brisk walking or swimming.
Study participants who got the equivalent of 3 or more hours of brisk walking per week had a better prognosis than those who got little to no general exercise-showing improvements, Hurwitz said, in pain, disability and psychological distress.
On the other hand, back exercises generally increased patients’ risk of suffering pain and disability over time.
read more about low back pain and exercise
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