Let’s face it—between how we sit at work, the time we spend watching television, and our poor dietary choices, most of us are not kind to our lower backs. Walking can’t undo all the negative effects of this kind of lifestyle, but here are two reasons why walking is good for your lower back:

See Lower Back Pain Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Walking in a pool can help minimize stress and strain on your lower back.
Read: Water Therapy Exercise Program

1. Walking helps you stay functional

One of the most frustrating aspects of chronic lower back pain is how it impacts your day-to-day life. Tasks that used to be simple, like bending over to tie your shoes or reaching for something you dropped, can sometimes seem insurmountable. And let’s not even discuss how difficult driving can be.

See Pain Management for Chronic Back Pain

One of the most-overlooked benefits of a regular program of exercise walking (30 to 40 minutes and 3 to 7 days a week) is that it can help you maintain your day-to-day functional capabilities. Put another way, people with chronic lower back pain who do not regularly engage in aerobic exercise are more likely to be limited in their functionality.

See Techniques for Effective Exercise Walking

Of course, this simple fact has enormous potential implications for your life. For example, a simple daily walk may allow you to continue to participate in your favorite activities, keep you out of a wheelchair, and even help you remain with your current employer.

See Exercise Walking for Better Back Health

2. Walking increases endorphin production

Endorphins are your body’s pain-inhibiting hormones, and exercise walking can spur their release. This means that walking not only helps you maintain your functional capabilities, but it can also reduce your experience of chronic lower back pain.

See Types of Back Pain: Acute Pain, Chronic Pain, and Neuropathic Pain

Endorphins inhibit your pain by binding to the opioid receptors in your brain, and they work similar to opioid pain medications like oxycodone or morphine. If you commit to a regular program of walking, you may be able to reduce your dependence on pain medications.

See Medications for Back Pain and Neck Pain

As an added bonus, endorphins can also help improve your overall mood.

What if my back hurts too much to walk?

If you have severe lower back pain, you may not be able to walk for 30 to 40 minutes. One option is to start with a 5 minute walk and slowly work you way up. Additionally, you can also try walking in a shallow pool. The buoyancy of the water may provide enough relief to allow you to complete your work-out.