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“The education changed the way that they thought about that and got them being more active – and remaining active when they had some back pain,” Hancock says.
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The new findings also echo the conclusions of a 2020 meta-analysis of 25 studies on low-back pain prevention, of which Hancock was co-author. In the meta-analysis, researchers found that regular exercise, combined with physical education, was the most effective way to prevent lower-back pain from recurring.
Although there are many different causes of lower-back pain, often the root cause is having a “weak base of support,” says Hamza Khalid, a physician at the Cleveland Clinic Centre for Spine Health in the US. Walking can help strengthen the muscle groups that help stabilise the spine, primarily your core muscles. Core weakness can lead to fatigue, spine misalignment and pain, he says.
Almost seven in 10 people who recover from an episode of low-back pain will experience a recurrence within the following year, according to Hancock’s research.
“Exercise is like medicine,” Khalid says, while also emphasising that it’s “no magic pill”. If your back pain is chronic or complex, your doctor or physical therapist can help you tailor an exercise program to your specific needs.
Still, moving your body is likely to help. At this point, Hancock says, “the evidence is pretty overwhelming.”
The New York Times
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