Is Walking Good for Back Pain?
Walking can be a simple way to stay active when you have back pain. The key is finding an amount that suits your symptoms and gradually building from there rather than pushing through significant discomfort.
Is walking good for back pain? For many people, gentle walking can be a useful way to keep moving and maintain normal activity. How much walking is appropriate depends on your symptoms, current activity level and how your back responds during and after the walk.
Back pain does not automatically mean that movement is damaging your spine. In many cases, continuing with comfortable activity is preferable to becoming completely inactive.
Should I Walk if I Have Lower Back Pain?
Walking is a simple form of physical activity that does not require equipment or a complicated exercise program. Depending on your symptoms, it may provide a manageable way to remain active and gradually return towards your usual routine.
That does not mean you need to push through significant pain. If a 30-minute walk clearly aggravates your symptoms, for example, a shorter walk may be more appropriate.
A practical starting point: try an amount of walking that feels manageable and pay attention to how your back responds during the walk and afterwards. You can then adjust the distance, pace or frequency gradually.
Why Can Walking Help When Your Back Feels Sore?
Back pain can sometimes cause people to reduce their activity because they are concerned about making the problem worse. While some injuries or medical conditions do require activity modification, pain itself does not always mean that movement is harmful.
Gentle walking may help you:
- Maintain general physical activity
- Avoid becoming unnecessarily sedentary
- Build confidence with movement
- Keep the hips and trunk moving
- Gradually return towards normal daily activities
Walking is also easy to modify. You can change the distance, pace, terrain and number of walks you complete throughout the day.
What if Walking Makes My Back Hurt?
A change in symptoms during activity does not necessarily mean that you are causing damage.
What matters is how much your symptoms change, whether they settle again and how you feel afterwards.
If walking repeatedly causes a substantial increase in pain, your symptoms continue escalating after you stop, or you are finding that you can progressively walk less, it may be useful to have the problem assessed.
A Physiotherapist can consider your movement, strength, mobility, daily activities, work demands, exercise habits and other factors that may be contributing to your symptoms.
Is One Long Walk Better Than Several Short Walks?
There is no single walking prescription that suits everybody with back pain.
If a longer walk aggravates your symptoms, breaking your activity into several shorter walks may be more manageable. For example, you may tolerate three 10-minute walks better than one continuous 30-minute walk.
As your tolerance improves, the duration, pace or frequency can gradually be increased.
The aim is not an arbitrary step count. It is to find a level of activity that is manageable for you now and build from there.
Should I Walk Every Day With Back Pain?
That depends on your individual situation.
Some people are comfortable walking every day. Others may need to temporarily modify their walking after a recent injury or a significant increase in symptoms.
Your overall activity level also matters. Someone who spends most of the day sitting may have very different needs from someone whose work is already physically demanding.
Rather than asking how much someone with back pain should walk, it can be more useful to ask how much walking you can comfortably manage now and how you can gradually progress it.
What About Hills or Faster Walking?
If your back is sensitive, begin with the form of walking that feels most manageable.
- Choose flatter ground if hills are uncomfortable
- Walk at a comfortable pace
- Start with shorter distances if needed
- Avoid sudden large increases in walking volume
As your tolerance improves, you may gradually introduce longer distances, hills or a faster pace if appropriate.
Experiencing back pain does not necessarily mean these activities need to be avoided permanently.
When Should Back Pain Be Assessed?
Back pain has many possible contributors, and walking is not appropriate as the sole management strategy for every type of back pain.
Consider seeking professional assessment if your pain is severe, is not improving, repeatedly returns, significantly limits your normal activities, or you are unsure which activities are appropriate.
Seek prompt medical attention if back pain is associated with new bladder or bowel changes, numbness around the groin or saddle area, significant or worsening weakness, serious trauma, or if you are otherwise acutely unwell.
Can Physiotherapy Help With Back Pain?
Physiotherapy can help assess factors that may be contributing to back pain and guide an individual management plan.
Depending on your assessment, this may include advice about walking and general activity, exercise rehabilitation, strength and mobility work, education and hands-on Physiotherapy where appropriate.
Tweak Health provides Physiotherapy from Mount Pleasant and Belmont in Perth, with additional regional Physiotherapy services in Newman, Koorda and Wongan Hills.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should I walk for if I have back pain?
There is no ideal duration for everyone. Start with an amount you can comfortably manage and consider gradually increasing it if your symptoms remain settled.
Is walking better than resting for back pain?
For many people with uncomplicated back pain, remaining reasonably active is preferable to prolonged inactivity. The appropriate amount of activity depends on your individual symptoms and circumstances.
Can I walk if my back pain goes into my leg?
Some people with back and leg symptoms can still walk comfortably, while others may find walking aggravates their symptoms. If leg pain is significant, worsening or associated with weakness or numbness, professional assessment is recommended.
Should I stop walking if my back starts hurting?
Not every increase in discomfort means you must immediately stop, but you should not feel that you need to push through substantial or escalating pain. Adjusting the distance, pace or duration may be appropriate.
The Takeaway
For many people with back pain, walking can be a useful and accessible way to keep moving.
Start with an amount you can manage, pay attention to how your symptoms respond and build gradually rather than suddenly increasing your distance or pace.
If back pain is stopping you from walking, working, exercising or doing the things you normally enjoy, a Physiotherapy assessment may help identify contributing factors and guide your next steps.
Related Reading
Further reading: the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care Low Back Pain Clinical Care Standard provides information about evidence-based assessment and management of low back pain.