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Home | Fix Back Problems | Stop Inflammation | Start Walking | Inversion Tables | My Story Here's A Back Pain Tip That EVERYONE Can Do ...Step 3: Learn why walking is great therapy for
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When I first hurt my back I could barely stand up, let alone walk. But the days of lying in a hospital bed for days in traction are long gone. So as soon as I was able to move around freely, I started walking.
At first, I just went from my house to the mailbox, not much more than 50 feet.
... Then I started walking around the block.
... Before long, I was able to walk for 20 minutes.
... And now I compete 5-6 times a year in 5k races - running races!
And I let my back tell me how far to go - when my back hurt, and my foot has more numbness, I walked shorter distances. When it felt good, I walked longer. When it felt great, I started running (but don't even think about running right now - I just want you to know that there is hope).
Is walking helpful for a bad back?
For me it was (and still is). I try to walk at least once a day, every day. Usually I take the dog for a walk at night.
The funny thing is, once I started walking, pretty quicky I realized just how "crooked" I walked. From years of different injuries to my back and knees, I had developed a real lazy way of walking. And after reading about how muscle imbalances helped lead to back injuries, I realized that even when I was healthy, people often asked if I was injured because I walked with a limp!
So the whole idea of muscle imbalances really began to make a lot of sense to me! Here are a few tips to help you get started on a walking program to help improve your back problems:
Exercise walking for better back health
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Here is the program I used to fix After suffering a very painful herniated disk, I found a great program called Lose The Back Pain and within a short time I started feeling better. Now I'm able to run, walk, lift weights, play with the kids ...
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And do yourself a favor - get a really good pair of sneakers!
I've spent a lot of time trying to teach myself to walk straight and evenly - without limps, leans, and bad posture. But sometimes it's hard to remember. I've walked this way for many years, and it's hard to un-train and re-train my muscles.
Walking remains a big part of my rehab for my herniated disk. But if I wear an old pair of sneakers (or worse, my work shoes) I feel it in my lower back. So I always try to wear my good running shoes - which offer great cushioning even if you never intend to run. And they feel good on your feet, too.
So if you're able to move around, walking is a great exercise for your back (just make sure not to go crazy and do too much too soon. Again, I make a point to try to walk every day, even if it's just a short walk around the block.
And it probably will stay that way for as long as I'm still able to walk!