So despite the heat this summer, have you been able to take walks around your neighborhood? Are you getting in those steps before the sun becomes too strong? If you have, you’re likely not alone on those paths or sidewalks. According to a new report from the CDC, almost 60% of American adults polled said they took a walk during the past week for leisure, although it seems the older you get, the less likely that may be so (only 51.6% of adults 65 and over reported taking leisurely walks). But by now you’re likely aware of the health benefits of walking, with everything from giving you an aerobic workout to improving your bone density to boosting your mood and protecting your brain. 

And now we have new research about the health benefits of walking for those who have lower back pain. According to a new study published in The Lancet, a regular routine of walking can be very effective in preventing a recurrence of lower back pain in those who had a previous incident. This study involved 700 adults recovering from a previous occurrence of back pain. None previously had a habit of going for leisurely walks and in fact, many avoided any movement due to fear of stirring up back trouble again. During the study, half of the group worked with a physiotherapist to develop an individualized walking program over 6 months, and the other half was a control group not engaging in a walking program. The groups were then followed for 1-3 years and the results showed a distinct difference between the groups. Those who walked regularly went nearly twice as long without further back pain as compared to those in the control group. The study results suggest that regular walking can help strengthen muscles to stabilize the spine and reduce the occurrence of back pain. For more on this study, chart your walking route and click here. And if you want your own walking exercise routine for back pain, check out this recent video from our Yes2Next friends showing how to use walking (Including backward walking) to relieve back pain.

If you’re among those older adults who aren’t out there for leisurely strolls on a regular basis, perhaps you need a bit of motivation. A recent Harvard Health article describes a study in the journal Circulation to determine what would motivate people to walk more. In this randomized controlled trial, participants were assigned to groups that either provided points, money rewards, points and money rewards, or text messages about step counts. All of these groups ended up walking an additional 1500 steps or more a day after a year, but those prompted with money or points added even more steps. Bottom line? Some of us need a slight nudge or reward to get us to walk more. If you’re looking for your own walking “prompt,” check out these apps that will reward you when you go for a walk.

And if you become a walking enthusiast, you may decide that a walking trip over multiple days may be your vacation of choice these days. If so, take a look at some recommended walking trips through Europe here, or lace up your hiking boots to see what your walking travel trip options are here.