Walking for a healthy back. This simple form of exercise can:
Trim the waistline.
Elevate mood.
Reduce the risk of chronic disease.
Improve back health.
Chiropractors recommend walking because of the ease of the workout and the health benefits it provides. It is a simple, low-impact exercise that can significantly improve the body’s overall health in a short amount of time. It improves back health by:
Strengthening the muscles that support the spine.
Improves posture.
Facilitates strong circulation.
Improves bone strength.
Walking For A Healthy Back
Strengthens Muscles
Walking engages all of the muscles which keep the body upright, including the core, leg, and back muscles. Muscle strength increases, providing optimal support of the spine.
Optimize Bone Health
Bone is living tissue like the muscles, and exercise stimulates bone the same way as muscle, gradually increasing strength.
Studies have found that walking improves bone density and reduces bone loss.
Poor posture is one of the most common reasons why individuals have back pain.
Poor posture affects mobility and places a significant amount of strain on the back.
Walking a few times each week engages and strengthens the back muscles keeping the body straight.
Reduces Weight
Many individuals have lower back pain that is caused by excess weight.
The added weight causes the front of the body to shift forward, placing additional strain on the lower back.
Walking reduces the load on the lower back.
Improves Flexibility and Range of Motion
Combined with stretching, walking improves flexibility and range of motion, making it easier to perform everyday activities reducing the risk of back injuries.
Improves Circulation to the Spinal structures
Walking improves blood circulation, delivers nutrients to the soft tissues, and removes toxins.
Added Benefits include:
Stress relief.
Better sleep.
Improved skin tone.
Lower risk of diabetes.
Reduced risk of depression.
Improved cardiovascular health that lowers the risk of:
High blood pressure.
Heart disease.
Stroke.
Before Exercising
Before beginning an exercise program, it’s essential to consult a doctor or chiropractor for individuals that have not exercised for a while or are dealing with underlying condition/s. They will educate and recommend how much exercise is appropriate given their current fitness level and overall health. To maximize the benefits of walking and prevent injuries:
Use High-Quality Tennis or Walking Shoes
Walking is much more enjoyable and safer when the body is comfortable.
Improving comfort levels is by using a pair of high-quality walking shoes or trainers.
They will provide proper support, cushioning, and adequate traction.
Maintain Proper Posture
Stay aware of body position when walking. A few key points to keep in mind:
Place the heel down first.
Then roll through each part of the foot, ending on the point of the toes.
Keep the shoulders back and head up.
Lift from the hips to reduce the impact on the lower joints.
Keep a slight bend in the arms and smoothly swing them back and forth.
Turn Walking Into a Healthy Habit
In the beginning, aim for at least 5 to 7 walks each week that last 25 minutes.
Speed does not matter as the objective is to get out and walk.
Once walking starts turning into a healthy habit with improvements in health, then start walking faster and longer.
Interval Walking
Interval walking involves short periods of high-intensity walking followed by alonger period of slow walking.
This increases cardiovascular fitness and muscle strength.
Begin with a 1-minute interval of fast walking.
This is followed by 2 minutes of slower walking.
Take On Easy Obstacles
Makes the walks more challenging by walking up or down a hill.
They will help strengthen the arms, shoulders, and upper back.
Body Composition
Building Lean Body Mass
Lean Body Mass is the body’s total weight minus the fat. This includes all the weight of the muscles, organs, and total body water. The best way to develop muscle and Lean Body Mass is to adopt a resistance training program. As stronger muscles are developed, the size and amount of the muscle cells increases. The muscles then require more intracellular water, which allows them to function at optimal levels. As the muscles grow and take in more water, Lean Body Mass increases.
References
Morris, J N, and A E Hardman. “Walking to health.” Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) vol. 23,5 (1997): 306-32. doi:10.2165/00007256-199723050-00004
Nauman, Javaid et al. “Walking in the Fast Lane: High-Intensity Walking for Improved Fitness and Health Outcomes.” Mayo Clinic proceedings vol. 94,12 (2019): 2378-2380. doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2019.10.020
Vanti, Carla et al. “The effectiveness of walking versus exercise on pain and function in chronic low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials.” Disability and rehabilitation vol. 41,6 (2019): 622-632. doi:10.1080/09638288.2017.1410730
One of the most likely causes of foot/heel pain is inflamed plantar fascia, which causes plantar fasciitis. It can be a painful and common injury from overuse of the ligaments in the foot. When this pain presents, it can make an individual not want to walk or place any type of pressure on the feet, as the pain worsens with pressure or impact on the foot. �
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Chiropractic care doesn�t just treat the spine but can help with various other musculoskeletal issues throughout the body. With chiropractic adjustments, rest, icing, and exercises, the ligaments, and tissues of the feet are worked out, massaged, and stretched back to their normal range. �
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Plantar Fascia
There is a ligament called the plantar fascia. It runs along the bottom of the foot and connects the toes to the heel. The plantar fascia absorbs shock and helps support the feet when walking. However, ligament tension can begin to increase, specifically when standing for long periods. When the tension reaches its limit, small tears can begin to form along with inflammation causing pain.
The pain occurs when walking, standing, or immediately after waking up. The condition can happen to anyone but is more likely to become an issue for those who stand or walk as a regular part of their job, home activity, etc. Side effects from the foot pain often cause individuals to adjust their walking gait to avoid feeling discomfort, that stresses the rest of the body like the muscles, ligaments, joints that can lead to various types of injury/s. �
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Chiropractic Treatment
Individuals with an inflamed plantar fascia often experience a shooting/stabbing pain that worsens in the morning or after standing or sitting for an extended time. Repetitive impact on the feet and poor arch support from shoes cause small tears to happen over time from the continued stress. If it has just started the pain can be treated with ice and rest, but they are not for solving the root cause. Chiropractic can help bring pain relief that lasts along with recurrence prevention. Here are some a few ways a chiropractor can help: �
Ankle Re-alignment
Ankle misalignment can contribute to plantar fasciitis at the plantar fascia has to work harder to move the foot without the ankle’s support. Manipulation and realignment of the ankle will improve foot function.
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Massage
A chiropractor along with a physical therapy team can be utilized for soft tissue massage and trigger point therapy to release tension.
Exercises and Stretches
Various stretching and exercising techniques can be implemented to help speed up the healing process. A chiropractor will work the individual through exercises and stretches designed to relieve inflammation and stretch out the tissue. Specific exercises will also be taught to help strengthen the lower leg muscles to stabilize the heel and help prevent pain.
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Posture
A chiropractor will correct any improper posture/s that has contributed to the foot pain or has become a way of being able to function as a result of the pain. This will return the individual to a normal gait when walking and running. Pressure on the feet and plantar fascia will be alleviated.
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Spinal/Hip Re-alignment
Individuals learn to avoid pain by walking/moving in a different way than how the body is supposed to. This results in pain in the hips and back, as the body is being pulled in various ways. Manipulation and mobilization will be used to realign the body to its proper form.
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Footwear/Orthotics
A chiropractor will make adjustments to the feet, ankles, and spine to reduce pain and relieve the pressure on the plantar fascia. Supportive footwear and orthotics could be recommended for extended/preventative care. Once diagnosed with a foot problem wearing proper shoes that support the feet is essential.
Orthotics can also help prevent injury to the back, joints, and muscles that were stretched or over-worked from an abnormal gait. When the pressure is relieved, the ligament starts to heal. This can take a few weeks. The result is a healthier heel/foot with proper function. Chiropractic can accelerate the healing process combined with home care. If pain is presenting in the heel, do not delay and focus on healing the foot.
Reduce Plantar Fasciitis
Dr. Alex Jimenez�s Blog Post Disclaimer
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, and sensitive health issues and/or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate and support directly or indirectly our clinical scope of practice.*
Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation as to how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900. The provider(s) Licensed in Texas& New Mexico*
References
Goff, James D, and Robert Crawford. �Diagnosis and treatment of plantar fasciitis.��American family physician�vol. 84,6 (2011): 676-82.
You hear many people talk about the benefits of walking but may not know how it applies to you. Walking regularly can be exceptionally helpful if you have back pain by providing the spine with added support and increased blood flow. These three spinal health benefits of walking should be enough to convince you.
Walking Aids in Rehydrating Your Spinal Discs
Gravity is not your friend. Well, not when it comes to your back. From the time you get out of bed until you lay down again at the end of the day, the pressure of gravity compresses your spine. When your spine is compressed, that means your spinal discs are too. These fluid-filled discs provide a cushion for your vertebrae, but the constant compression that occurs throughout the day due to regular activity squeezes the fluid out of them.
Dehydrated discs can cause back pain and structural problems. That is why restful sleep and staying hydrated are essential for spinal health.
Walk because it increases circulation throughout your body, including your spine. This increased blood flow helps to rehydrate your discs that improve your spinal health. It also helps keep your spine younger, staving off the effects of the aging process.
Walking Relieves Back Pain and Reduces Stress to the Spine
Walking provides an excellent low impact aerobic workout, and it increases blood flow which helps improve mobility, flexibility, and range of motion. When you incorporate stretching, you can reap even more of the benefits of a healthy spine.
The human body is made to move. When you don’t move or are sedentary, your muscles become stiff and inflexible. Moving prevents that, but even if you are experiencing some stiffness, walking, stretching, and movement can help you regain that flexibility.
You will also find that walking regularly also helps with stress relief. Lower back pain is a prevalent stress symptom, but walking combats its effects by encouraging dopamine release.
When you are stressed, your pain sensitivity increases, you feel pain more acutely, and it is more challenging to manage. By reducing your stress level, you also make your pain more manageable but, at the same time, minimize lower back pain.
Walking Improves Posture
When you don’t use your muscles, they become weak and inflexible and cannot do their intended job. The back forces are designed to provide support to the spine, and when they are not used, they can atrophy and weaken, resulting in stooped or other improper posture.
Poor posture causes back pain by putting more pressure on the spine, leading to pain, soreness, tension, and headaches. Without the necessary support, it can also lead to misalignment of the spine, which can cause problems.
Walking strengthens the supporting muscle groups so that your back muscles get more robust, and your spine gets the structural support needed. As your back muscles get stronger, your body will naturally begin to adopt a correct posture. The benefits of good posture include improved organ function, reduced pain, less fatigue, and easier breathing.
Walking is good for your whole body as well as your mind. When you walk to reduce back pain, you are also doing great things for your body. If you have any questions about proper form or achieving a better, healthier posture, your chiropractor can help you. The spine is such an essential part of the body; it does so much. Please do your best to protect it and keep it in good health. In return, it will save you from moving for a long, long time.
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