Is It Safe To Go For A Walk If You Have Lower Back Pain?

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At Falcon Chiropractic Clinic in Harrogate, we often get asked by patients with lower back pain, whether it is a good idea or even safe to go for a walk?

As walking is a relatively low impact gentle activity, our response is almost always YES!

Why Would I Consider Going For A Walk When I'm In Pain?

Whenever we irritate a nerve in the low back the surrounding muscles can often lockdown in spasm causing joint stiffness and immobility alongside pain. Your brain commands these muscles to do so, in order to protect you from further damage.

It turns out that walking is a great way to encourage the gentle movement of the pelvic girdle and lower back, this movement can help your muscles relax and loosen up your joints.

What If I've Had Low Back Pain For Many Years?

If you have had pain for a long time the muscles within your back may fatigue and become weak. The easiest way to reactivate them and build them up is to start off with some gentle movement, in general any form of gentle low back and hip movement will be of benefit in these cases.

So How Long Should I Walk For?

Initially, we recommend walking for around 10-15 minutes, over time you can gradually increase this...