Your back finally feels better. Now you’d like to get through a season of yard work, errands or walks with your family without losing another week to pain. The Australian WalkBack trial tested a way to make those good stretches last longer.

208 days before the next setback

Researchers followed 701 adults who had recently recovered from an episode of low back pain with no specific diagnosed cause. Half were offered a personalized walking plan and education, with six physical therapist sessions over six months. The comparison group received no study program.

The median time until back pain again interfered with daily activities was 208 days with the program and 112 days in the comparison group. That’s a difference of 96 days, or a little over three months. These are group results. Some people had another flare sooner, and others went longer.

A starting point that fits your life

The study paired walking with coaching. Participants could build up from their own starting point. If you’ve recovered from a flare, think of a route you’d enjoy repeating. Ask your clinician what distance fits you now and how to increase it. A walk to the corner with your spouse is a concrete place to start that conversation.

Read the WalkBack randomized trial by Pocovi and colleagues in The Lancet (2024).