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Here's "My Back Fix" Tip #3 ...

Learn why walking is great therapy for
a bad back (and anyone can do it)!

Here's the third "back fix" tip I learned while recovering from a herniated disk.

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 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.

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.

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

How to Walk for Absolute Beginners

Beginning a fitness walking program

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!