Walking is one of the most beneficial activities for the body. However, if a person suffers from a condition such as low back pain, there are some recommendations to keep in mind in order to avoid risks. In this article, Instituto Clavel shares their recommendations with you.
If you've had lumbago or low back pain recently, you may be wondering whether walking is a good idea, or if you should just rest. This is a very common question and Instituto Clavel hopes that our recommendations will help provide the answer.
To begin with, it is important to note that every patient’s case is unique, depending on various factors such as the severity of the low back pain, whether they have had surgery, their age and general state of health, among others. So, we recommend that you get professional medical advice for an evaluation of your specific case.
As a general guideline, at Instituto Clavel we believe that movement is a fundamental component in the patient’s recovery. In fact, after lumbar spine surgeries, we have our patients get out of bed the same day, or the next day after the operation, and once they are discharged, we recommend going for a short walk (less than 30 minutes) two or three times a day during those first days at home.
These short walks help the patient to include physical activity in their life again, little by little, and prepare their body for the rehabilitation program they will follow with the IC Rehabilitation team.
Next, we describe the benefits that walking has for problems such as low back pain, and offer guidelines on how to do it correctly.
What are the benefits of walking?
If you need a push to start walking, we bet that the list of benefits we show you here will be enough to get you ready to put on your shoes and head out the door as soon as you finish reading. Let's go!
- It helps improve posture, since walking works on lumbar and cervical lordosis, as well as dorsal kyphosis.
- It can strengthen the muscles of the feet, legs, hips, and torso, all of which are involved in keeping the posture of the spine correct.
- It increases the stability of the spine.
- It prevents osteoporosis because it strengthens bones and helps heal vertebral fractures.
- It helps you keep a healthy weight, or even lose weight, which is good for the spine, because being overweight is related to worse posture and increased risk of back pain.
- It improves the quality of sleep, which in turn benefits the recovery of tissues in general and recovery of the spine.
- It will increase your vitamin D levels if you walk in the sun. (Always use sunscreen, of course, and avoid walking during the peak heat of the day).
As you can see, walking is full of benefits for your entire body, and not only that, but it has psychological benefits as well, because it has been shown to reduce stress levels and improve overall sense of well-being.
In addition, it is a good way to start including physical activity in your daily routine if you haven’t been active for a while or if you have had a back problem like lumbago or low back pain that has made other types of exercise unfeasible. After a while, you can combine it with other sports that are also good for the back, such as those that Dr. Clavel recommends in the following article.
However, as we indicated at the beginning, it is essential to follow a series of recommendations to walk correctly, especially if you are in a recovery process. Here, below, we offer the most relevant tips.
How to walk correctly
In this section we want to give you an overall vision of things you should keep in mind in order to enjoy walking without risks – including everything from your posture, to the type of terrain, or the footwear you use. Each of these points is important for getting the maximum benefit from walking:
Let’s start with posture:
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Walk rolling from your heel, through the middle part of the sole, using your toes to propel slightly into the next step.
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Your stride should be moderate, neither too long nor too short.
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Try to slightly contract your abdomen while walking to maintain a straight position so that there is no stress on either the lower or upper parts of your spine.
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Hold your shoulders firmly, but relaxed.
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Your head should be centered over your shoulders, facing forward.
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Keep your arms and hands close to the body, slightly flexed, and let them swing naturally in a way that accompanies the rhythm of the walk.
To get the greatest benefit from walking, it should be done at a quick pace, but one that allows conversation (if you walk with a partner, for example). Of course, if you are recovering from surgery or an injury, you will need to adapt your pace to your condition and gradually increase it little by little. In any case, it is also advisable to start each walk slowly and increase the intensity as the walk progresses.
What would be a good walking program? The ideal would be a minimum of 45 minutes a day, about 4 km at a brisk pace. However, for people who suffer back pain or are not used to walking because they have been leading a sedentary life, it is best to start with shorter walks, and gradually lengthen them over time.
Another very important point to consider before going for a walk is the choice of footwear. The key element is comfort. To provide comfort when walking, the shoe must offer proper support from the soles of the feet to the ankles, so the sole must be wide. Fortunately, there are many options of sports shoes that meet these characteristics. If you need an extra support in the ankle, it may be advisable to wear boots.
Other types of shoes such as clogs, sandals or any other type of open shoe should be avoided, since they generate a lot of tension in the foot because your foot must grip it as you walk, which negatively affects the back.
Finally, choose the terrain well! For your articulations, it is preferable to avoid walking on asphalt, as it can be the most aggressive. If possible, it is best to walk on smooth, compact earth, especially if you suffer from any back problems. In addition, walking in nature will help you disconnect and feel much more relaxed during the activity.
We hope that you have found this article useful and, again, we want to remind you of the importance of consulting a specialist if you suffer from low back pain or any other spinal pathology before beginning any exercise program that may put you at risk.
Categories: Spine treatments, Spine pathologies, Rehabilitation