Nashua Chiropractic Tip: Go out for a walk.

Every step counts! Walks are healthy. Walking is effective, even in small spurts.

Walking as exercise is a growing trend in Nashua and everywhere else. Walking is free and easy.  It’s a physical activity that most anyone can do. Unfortunately only about 48% of adults get enough aerobic (activity that gets the heart pumping harder and blood vessels healthier) physical activity (1), so Moriarty Chiropractic recommends walking to all of our Nashua chiropractic patients especially as they recover from a back pain episode.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY GUIDELINES

Physical Activity Guidelines advise just 2 and a half hours a week.  (2) That’s manageable! That can be broken down into smaller chunks like five 30-minute walks or longer walks with others instead of coffee chats or dinners out. A walk while waiting to pick up kids at activities can work. 145 million adults walk as part of their physical activity plan. Others like some in Nashua walk for fun or transportation or exercise. 6 out of 10 walk for their aerobic physical activity. Others enjoy ballroom dancing or gardening. (1) Brisk walking, running, jogging, swimming or biking are potential endeavors when walking becomes a bit too routine, but walking itself works|is]19] just as well!

WALKERS KEEP WALKING

The Journal of the American Medical Association released information about 1635 inactive adults from 70 to 89 years who were at risk of losing their mobility (ie, their ability to walk without support). They were split into 2 groups: walking (20-minutes-a-day walk) or education (reading material about healthy aging). The walking group had an 18% lower risk of major mobility disability at 2.6 years. The walkers could walk without assistance up to a quarter mile. (3) This is positive news!

A NEW WALKING PROGRAM: Motivators & Effects

What motivates you to exercise? Moriarty Chiropractic is here to inspire you! A new report about outcomes of a 6-month program of walking described what low back pain participants reported as motivators that got them to begin the walking program (back pain reduction and better overall healthy lifestyle), to follow the program (walking was seen as a safe exercise as opposed to high-impact exercise that they wanted out of fear of making their pain worse), and to finish the program (accountability, pleasure of the exercise and health benefits). (4) A recently planned study expects to define just how effective a walking and education program might be able to prevent low back pain recurrence as well as for cost. They’re naming it WalkBack. (5) Such a great name! Effectiveness and cost-savings might also be motivators to stick to a walking program.

CONTACT Moriarty Chiropractic

So if you are wanting to add some physical activity to your life or you are attempting to re-gain your physically active life after an injury, illness or bout of back pain, just walk (after you check with your Nashua chiropractor first!).  It may well be just what you are looking for!  Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Amanda Harris on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as she describes treatment with the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management that permitted a patient to walk again without a cane.

Contact Moriarty Chiropractic to set up your next appointment for personalized advice about incorporating walking into your chiropractic care plan.