More and more adults are being plagued by lower back pain, which can be caused by a variety of conditions. Some of the most common ones are a hernia, degeneration of the intervertebral disks, muscle strain and bad posture. Most of the times, surgery is not needed to relieve lower back pain, although in specific cases it may be the only option.

Exercising Away the Pain

A great way to deal with lower back pain, is simply strengthening the lower back muscles through exercise. By strengthening these muscles, they will be able to carry more weight, releasing the spine from some of the pressure, thereby relieving the pain.

There are many options to strengthen the lower back muscles through exercise, such as swimming and stretching. But none is as easy and cheap as walking.

Walking

Walking exercises are a great way to deal with lower back pain, as they can help you improve your posture, strengthen the lower back muscles and increase your overall stamina and health. Walking the right way will condition your lower back muscles, allowing them to support more weight for a longer time. On top of this, walking is an aerobic exercise, increasing your oxygen uptake, which, in turn, can speed up recovery and improves overall health.

Important Tips!

• Start slowly. It is important not to overdo it, as this may increase the problems. A great way to start is to begin with short walks of 5 to 10 minutes a day. If all goes well, you can start to increase this time slowly. Listen to your body.
• Posture! Pay attention to your posture when walking. It is not about walking much, but about walking right. Try to keep your ears, shoulders and hips in a straight line and do not slouch. This might be harder than you imagined at first, but it will pay off eventually. When you’re not walking, try to keep good posture as well, as it forces you to use your lower back muscles, even when you’re just sitting down and reading a book.
• Pain? Then stop! If you experience severe pain during the walking, then stop immediately. Normally, walking shouldn’t pose any problems, but stabs of sharp pain signal something is wrong. It might be bad posture, a wrong movement, tripping over something, or just a sign that the problem causing the lower back pain is progressing.
• Consult a doctor. As your physician is completely informed about your specific back problem, he or she is the best person to judge if walking is a good idea in your specific situation.