Walking this much a day can lower your risk of lower back pain by 23%
A new study found that walking every day can significantly reduce your risk of lower back pain, which is a major drain on wallets, well-being and workdays across the US.
But there's a catch: how far you go and how fast you move makes all the difference in how much protection you'll actually get.
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3 Chronic back pain is a leading cause of disability in the US.
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Scientists at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology analyzed data from more than 11,000 adults over the age of 20 who had no history of chronic back pain at the start of the study.
Each participant wore an activity tracker for a week, logging how long and how briskly they walked. Researchers then followed up over four years to see who developed lower back pain.
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By the end, the results were clear: 'The more steps the participants took, the less frequently they experienced back pain,' the study authors wrote.
Those who walked between 78 and 100 minutes a day lowered their odds by 13%. For people who clocked over 100 minutes daily, the risk dropped by a whopping 23%.
But it wasn't just about putting in time. Pace mattered, too.
3 Walking has been linked to a wide range of physical and mental health benefits.
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Researchers found that participants who walked faster reduced their risk of developing lower back pain by 15% to 18% compared to slower walkers.
Still, total time on your feet made the biggest difference. The lowest chances were seen in people who walked more and picked up the pace.
'This is an important finding because walking is a simple, low cost, and accessible activity that can be promoted widely to reduce the burden of low back pain,' Rayane Haddadj, lead author of the study, told CNN.
3 Chronic back pain is persistent for at least 12 consecutive weeks.
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Back pain is one of the top reasons Americans go to the doctor.
Roughly 65 million Americans have had a recent flare up, and about 16 million suffer from chronic symptoms that interfere with their daily lives, according to Georgetown University's Health Policy Institute.
Common causes include arthritis, herniated discs and injuries. Johns Hopkins Medicine reports that lifestyle factors like smoking, obesity and lack of physical activity also increase the risk.
The ripple effects are serious.
Back pain is a leading cause of disability and missed workdays in the US — and it takes a major toll on overall health. One in four sufferers say they're in poor physical condition, more than double the rate of their pain-free peers.
But it's not just physical. Chronic back pain also affects people's social lives, relationships, and ability to enjoy everyday activities.
Nearly three-quarters of adults with back pain report feeling sad, worthless or hopeless — and they're far more likely to battle depression, anger and stress than those without.
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The price tag isn't small, either.
Back pain is the sixth most expensive condition in the country, costing the US more than $12 billion a year in medical bills and lost productivity.
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