The study is significant because approximately seven in 10 people, who recover from low back pain, usually suffer a new episode in 12 months. (File Photo)
When Pune-based IT professional, Ketan Gupta, 29, sat long hours at his workstation teleconferencing with international clients, little did he realise that the small throbbing pain in his lower back would intensify and make it difficult for him to get off his bed. Then his orthopaedic advised walking as a daily drill before physiotherapy. His pain improved and his back no longer tensed up as he walked 45 minutes daily. Now a Lancet report says that walking is indeed the best way to deal with back pain and prevent its recurrence.
Adults suffering from low back pain were not only able to control it but went nearly twice as long without reporting a recurrence after they took up walking regularly, according to a study in The Lancet.
What the study says
The study, called the WalkBack trial, focussed on assessing the merits of walking as a cost-effective prevention strategy for a nagging problem that interferes with normal physical activity. Approximately seven in 10 people, who recover from low back pain, end up suffering a new episode of low back pain in 12 months. “We found that this simple intervention was very effective in reducing recurrences that led to activity limitation (reduction of 28 per cent) and reducing recurrences that led to care-seeking (reduction of 43 per cent) among participants when compared to a no-intervention control group,” said Dr Natasha Pocovi, lead author from the Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney. “The thinking has now shifted away from bed rest for low back pain,” she explained during an email interview.
The clinical trial by Macquarie University’s Spinal Pain Research Group (2019-2022) followed 701 adults, who had recently recovered from an episode of non-specific low back pain (defined as pain in the area between the 12th rib and buttock crease not attributed to a specific diagnosis like vertebral fracture, infection or cancer). They were randomly allocated to either an individualised walking programme with monthly physiotherapist-guided education sessions over six months, or to a control group.
What causes low back pain?
It emanates from weak muscles because of a largely sedentary lifestyle and obesity. This may cause spine misalignment, leading to fatigue, degeneration and pain over time. Dr Mayur Kardile, consulting spine surgeon, Jehangir Hospital, said that Ketan was like most Indian sedentary workers, particularly techies, who develop low back pain because of lack of exercise and abnormal posture while working.
“A physical examination and X-ray showed there was nothing wrong with Ketan’s spine. He had restricted movement, severe muscular spasms and low back pain because of stress on the paraspinal muscles. These surround the spine and are responsible for both moving and stabilising it. They take most of the load, particularly of body weight,” said Dr Kardile. “Walking adds endurance to the back region while boosting metabolism, calorie burn and lowering body weight,” he added.
Why walking is a good intervention for back pain
Walking is suggested as it is low-impact and can be done for longer periods of time. “It is likely to include the combination of the gentle oscillatory movements, loading and strengthening the spinal structures and muscles, relaxation and stress relief and release of ‘feel-good’ endorphins,” said Prof Mark Hancock, senior author of the paper and professor of physiotherapy at Macquarie University.
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“Walking strengthens the muscles supporting the spine by actively engaging and contracting the core, back and leg muscles, which work together to stabilise the spine,” added Dr Kardile.
Why are the findings significant?
The study is significant because approximately seven in 10 people, who recover from low back pain, usually suffer a new episode in 12 months. So prevention is a key part of spinal health. “It is important to focus on prevention because the recurrence of low back pain is incredibly common,” said Dr Pocovi. Low back pain is currently the leading cause of years lived with disability and 843 million people are expected to suffer from it by 2050.
Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues .
Professional Background
Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature.
Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO.
Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives.
Awards and Recognition
Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.”
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care
"Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease.
Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose.
2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series)
Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs.
"For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune.
3. Lifestyle & Wellness News
"They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions.
At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents.
4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure
For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics.
Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far.
Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership
Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions.
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