medicalnewstoday.com
Back pain affects a significant portion of the population, with most people experiencing it at some point in their lives. A recent study published in BMJ Open suggests that reducing sedentary behavior may be a simple yet effective strategy to prevent back pain from worsening. Researchers found that cutting down sitting time by as little as 40 minutes per day could help mitigate back pain in people who are otherwise inactive.
The study focused on adults with obesity or overweight, metabolic syndrome, and predominantly sedentary lifestyles. Over six months, participants who reduced their sedentary behavior by an hour each day while increasing moderate-to-vigorous activity by 20 minutes experienced less progression of back pain compared to a control group. This study stands out as one of the first to directly examine how reducing daily sitting time influences back pain, offering a clear link between more active habits and better outcomes in back pain prevention. Although both groups saw some increase in disability due to pain, the intervention group did not see a statistically significant rise in back pain, unlike the control group.
Back pain is a prevalent issue in the U.S., affecting up to 90% of people at some point in their lives, and its prevalence increases with age. This study underscores the potential of a simple lifestyle modification—reducing sedentary behavior—to prevent back pain from worsening. For healthcare providers, the results suggest that advising patients, particularly those with mild symptoms, to reduce sitting time and increase physical activity could help manage back pain. While more research is needed to explore the impact on individuals with more severe pain, these findings reinforce the idea that increasing movement is a key strategy for improving both pain and overall health outcomes.