Latest news with #RayaneHaddadj
Toronto Sun
13-07-2025
- Health
- Toronto Sun
Long walks may help reduce risk of chronic lower back pain: Study
Researchers say going on long walks may help reduce the risk of chronic low back pain. Photo by Jacob Wackerhausen / iStock / Getty Images Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. Get out your favourite walking shoes and go on an extended stroll. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Researchers found people who went on very long walks — more than 100 minutes each day — were nearly 25% less likely to have chronic lower back pain than those who sauntered for less than 78 minutes per day. According to a study published last month in the JAMA Network Open , people who saw the best benefits were not necessarily those who walked the quickest or with the most intensity. 'The more people walked, the lower their risk,' said Rayane Haddadj, of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim, reported Science News . However, researchers noticed people who walked for more than 100 minutes didn't see any extra health benefits. According to the World Health Organization, the leading cause of disability around the world is lower back pain. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Haddadj sought to learn if daily physical activities such as taking a stroll and the intensity of walking had any effect on the risks of developing lower back pain. He and his researchers analyzed data from 11,194 participants with an average age of 55 who didn't report having any chronic lower back pain. They attached movement-tracking devices to their bodies for up to a week to determine walking habits. About four years later, about 1,700 said they had back issues. Researchers discovered that the group of people who walked more than 100 minutes per day were 23% less likely to have chronic lower back pain. While it hinted that a higher volume of walking helped decrease the risk of chronic lower back pain, Haddadj cautioned the research didn't prove it because walking habits may have changed over the four years. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. And because the study was observational, the cause and effect can't be fully established. 'These findings suggest that policies and public health strategies promoting walking could help to reduce the occurrence of chronic (lower back pain),' the study's authors concluded. Read More For more health news and content around diseases, conditions, wellness, healthy living, drugs, treatments and more, head to – a member of the Postmedia Network. Golf Toronto & GTA Toronto & GTA Toronto Raptors Toronto & GTA
Medical News Today
22-06-2025
- Health
- Medical News Today
Walking 100 minutes per day may help lower risk of chronic back pain
For many people, low back pain is chronic, meaning it is constant for at least three are several risk factors for chronic low back pain, such as not getting enough physical activity. A new study found that increasing the length of time and intensity of one's walks may help lower the risk of experiencing chronic low back to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 619 million people around the world were living with low back pain in 2020. This number is expected to hit 843 million by 2050. For many people, their low back pain is chronic, meaning it is constant for at least three months. And the pain is moderate to intense, affecting their daily lives. There are a number of risk factors for chronic low back pain. Some are not modifiable, such as age, genetics, and underlying medical conditions such as arthritis, spinal infections, spinal stenosis, osteoporosis, and fibromyalgia. However, several risk factors are modifiable, including obesity, improving lifting techniques, smoking, stress, and a sedentary lifestyle.'Low back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide and accounts for the highest healthcare spending in the U.S.,' Rayane Haddadj, MS, a PhD candidate in the Department of Public Health and Nursing at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Norway, told Medical News Today. 'Identifying modifiable risk factors that can be targeted and easily implemented through public health policy and interventions is therefore of great importance.'Haddadj is the first author of a new study recently published in the journal JAMA Network Open that says increasing the length of time you walk, and its intensity, may help lower your risk for chronic low back pain. Walking 100+ minutes per day lowers low back pain riskFor this study, researchers analyzed medical data from more than 11,000 adult participants with an average age of about 55 from the Trøndelag Health (HUNT) Study in Norway, which ran from 2017 to 2019 with a follow-up in 2021 to 2023. At the start of the HUNT study, study participants did not have chronic low back pain. Researchers focused on the daily minutes each participant walked and their walking intensity, or how quickly they walked, which is calculated by using the metabolic equivalent of task (MET) per the study's conclusion, Haddadj and his team found that participants walking for more than 100 minutes per day were associated with a 23% lower risk of chronic low back pain, compared to those who walked less than 78 minutes per day.78 vs. 100 minutes a day'Our study shows that higher daily walking volume lowers the risk of developing chronic low back pain. The relationship was dose-dependent — meaning the more people walked, the lower their risk — up to about 100 minutes per day, after which the benefit leveled off. Even small increases in daily walking were associated with a decreased risk of chronic low back pain.' — Rayane Haddadj, MSWalking intensity also linked to lower pain riskAdditionally, researchers discovered that walking intensity was also associated with the risk of chronic low back pain, but to a lesser degree than walking volume. 'Our results suggest that a higher average walking intensity is associated with lower risk of chronic low back pain,' Haddadj said. 'However, the association was less pronounced than for walking volume. Further research, including a more robust assessment of walking intensity, could enhance our understanding of its association with the risk of chronic low back pain.''Our results reinforce a growing body of evidence showing that physical activity is essential for long-term health. Even small increases in daily activity can make a difference. Or as the World Health Organization puts it 'every move counts towards a better health'.'— Rayane Haddadj, MS'Walking is a simple, low cost, and accessible activity that can be promoted widely to reduce the burden of low back pain,' Haddadj added. 'Walking more could therefore be a simple yet powerful way to reduce risk of chronic low back pain and other diseases. Future studies investigating parameters such as timing and context of walking could enhance our understanding of the association between walking and risk of chronic low back pain.' Walking more may not always prevent back painMNT spoke with Neel Anand, MD, MCh Orth, a board certified orthopedic spine surgeon and director of the Cedars-Sinai Spine Center in Los Angeles, about this study. Anand commented that while he agrees with the study's findings that activity is better than no activity, he does not agree with the idea that if you walk, you will lower your risk for chronic back pain. 'Walking does not prevent back pain. Walking helps you get better because activity will help back pain always — it actually does. If you have chronic back pain, activity and walking actually makes it feel better than remaining stationary.' — Neel Anand, MD, MCh Orth'But the idea that you walk, you're not going to get back pain, makes no sense at all — that idea is not logical,' Anand continued. 'Back pain is a degenerative disorder. Yes, a couch potato has more chances of getting back pain than a person who's more active — that is correct. But to take that a step further and say, just because you walk, you're not going to get back pain is too far a reach. In my opinion, that's too far a conclusion to make.'
New York Post
20-06-2025
- Health
- New York Post
Walking this much a day can lower your risk of lower back pain by 23%
Here's another reason to stop scrolling and start strolling. A new study found that walking every day can significantly reduce your risk of lower back pain, which is a major drain on wallets, well-being and workdays across the US. But there's a catch: how far you go and how fast you move makes all the difference in how much protection you'll actually get. Advertisement 3 Chronic back pain is a leading cause of disability in the US. fizkes – Scientists at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology analyzed data from more than 11,000 adults over the age of 20 who had no history of chronic back pain at the start of the study. Each participant wore an activity tracker for a week, logging how long and how briskly they walked. Researchers then followed up over four years to see who developed lower back pain. Advertisement By the end, the results were clear: 'The more steps the participants took, the less frequently they experienced back pain,' the study authors wrote. Those who walked between 78 and 100 minutes a day lowered their odds by 13%. For people who clocked over 100 minutes daily, the risk dropped by a whopping 23%. But it wasn't just about putting in time. Pace mattered, too. 3 Walking has been linked to a wide range of physical and mental health benefits. Prostock-studio – Advertisement Researchers found that participants who walked faster reduced their risk of developing lower back pain by 15% to 18% compared to slower walkers. Still, total time on your feet made the biggest difference. The lowest chances were seen in people who walked more and picked up the pace. 'This is an important finding because walking is a simple, low cost, and accessible activity that can be promoted widely to reduce the burden of low back pain,' Rayane Haddadj, lead author of the study, told CNN. 3 Chronic back pain is persistent for at least 12 consecutive weeks. amnaj – Advertisement Back pain is one of the top reasons Americans go to the doctor. Roughly 65 million Americans have had a recent flare up, and about 16 million suffer from chronic symptoms that interfere with their daily lives, according to Georgetown University's Health Policy Institute. Common causes include arthritis, herniated discs and injuries. Johns Hopkins Medicine reports that lifestyle factors like smoking, obesity and lack of physical activity also increase the risk. The ripple effects are serious. Back pain is a leading cause of disability and missed workdays in the US — and it takes a major toll on overall health. One in four sufferers say they're in poor physical condition, more than double the rate of their pain-free peers. But it's not just physical. Chronic back pain also affects people's social lives, relationships, and ability to enjoy everyday activities. Nearly three-quarters of adults with back pain report feeling sad, worthless or hopeless — and they're far more likely to battle depression, anger and stress than those without. Advertisement The price tag isn't small, either. Back pain is the sixth most expensive condition in the country, costing the US more than $12 billion a year in medical bills and lost productivity.
Time of India
16-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Simply walking 100 minutes a day can reduce the risk of back pain, a study finds
Chronic low back pain can be the result of a strain in the muscles or tendons in the back, injuries or fractures, curvature of the spine or heavy indulgence in work or sports. According to a published in The Lancet Rheumatology, it is the leading cause of disability globally. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In the US, back pain is the leading cause of disability, estimating about 80% of people will experience the problem at least once in their lifetimes. According to a 2022 , 8.2% of American adults have chronic severe back pain. An innovative study Image credits: Getty Images According to a new published in the JAMA Network Open journal, walking 100 minutes a day can reduce the risk of chronic low back pain by 23%. According to Rayane Haddadj, a doctoral candidate in the department of public health and nursing at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and the lead study author, 'This is an important finding because walking is a simple, low cost, and accessible activity that can be promoted widely to reduce the burden of low back pain.' An estimated 600 million people worldwide experience low back pain, which is considered the leading cause of disability, said physiotherapist Dr Natasha Pocovi, a postdoctoral research fellow in health sciences at Macquarie University in Sydney to CNN Health. It is predicted by the that by 2050, 843 million people are projected to suffer from the problem. And yet prevention of low back pain is often overlooked in research and clinical practice, added Pocovi. The shocking results The study results state that there is a possibility of using physical activity as a form of prevention. The research also "suggests that we don't need to complicate our exercise routines to protect ourselves against chronic low back pain.' The ideal solution Image credits: Getty Images To analyse the connection between walking and back pain prevention, the team of researchers analysed data from more than 11,000 participants between the ages of 20 and older from the Trøndelag Health, or HUNT, Study in Norway. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Between 2017 and 2019, HUNT researchers asked participants to wear accelerometers for seven days to track their walking patterns. They then followed up from 2021 and 2023 and questioned if participants experienced back pain, as per a new study. The people were divided into four groups according to the time they walked: less than 78 minutes a day, 78-100 minutes a day, 101-124 minutes and more than 125 minutes. As the amount of daily walking increased, so did the risk of chronic low back pain, revealed the findings. Additionally, moderate or brisk walking was more protective than a slow pace, said Pocovi. 'Start with short walking sessions, either by planning specific walks or finding small ways to integrate a brief stroll into your daily routine,' she said. 'The key is to gradually increase your walking in a sustainable and enjoyable way,' she said in an email. 'Additionally, it can be helpful to have a friend, partner, or colleague join you for walks to keep yourself motivated and accountable.'
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Getting in more steps may prevent the leading cause of disability in the US, study says
Sign up for CNN's Fitness, But Better newsletter series. Our seven-part guide will help you ease into a healthy routine, backed by experts. Getting your steps in is good for your health, but it may also help keep you from being affected by disability later, new research has found. Walking 100 minutes a day was associated with a 23% reduced risk of chronic low back pain, according to a study published Friday in the journal JAMA Network Open. 'This is an important finding because walking is a simple, low cost, and accessible activity that can be promoted widely to reduce the burden of low back pain,' said lead study author Rayane Haddadj, a doctoral candidate in the department of public health and nursing at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, in an email. An estimated 600 million people worldwide experience low back pain, which is considered the leading cause of disability, said physiotherapist Dr. Natasha Pocovi, a postdoctoral research fellow in health sciences at Macquarie University in Sydney. She was not involved in the research. By 2050, the number of people with chronic low back pain is expected to grow to 843 million, according to the World Health Organization. And yet prevention of low back pain is often overlooked in research and clinical practice, Pocovi added. The results from this latest study show there is the possibility of using physical activity as prevention. Pocovi said the research also 'suggests that we don't need to complicate our exercise routines to protect ourselves against chronic low back pain.' To investigate the connection between walking and back pain prevention, the research team analyzed data from more than 11,000 participants age 20 and older from the Trøndelag Health, or HUNT, Study in Norway. Between 2017 and 2019, HUNT researchers asked study participants to wear accelerometers for seven days to track their walking patterns. The HUNT team then followed up from 2021 and 2023 and asked if participants experienced back pain, according to the new study. People were divided into four groups: those who walked less than 78 minutes in a day, 78 to 100 minutes, 101 to 124 minutes, and more than 125 minutes. The findings showed that as the amount of daily walking increased, the risk of chronic low back pain decreased, and preliminary evidence revealed moderate or brisk walking was more protective than a slow pace, Pocovi said. There are reasons to have confidence in the study results, including the large sample size and the use of accelerometers instead of people reporting their own levels of physical activity, she added. However, the walking data was only captured over one week, which might not be reflective of people's patterns over a month or year, Pocovi said. The study is also observational, which means that while it can show associations, researchers can't say for sure that the walking caused reduced risk of low back pain. Not only is low back pain a leading cause of disability –– it's also expensive. On average, people spend more than $30,000 on back pain-related costs over the five years after first diagnosis, according to an April 2024 study. Easy, inexpensive changes that prevent chronic low back pain can make a big difference, Haddadj said. The study wasn't able to address if walking 100 minutes straight had more, less or the same impact as accumulating that same amount of time in short bursts, Pocovi said. But in most cases, unless there is an underlying medical condition, any amount of walking is better than none, Pocovi said. 'Start with short walking sessions, either by planning specific walks or finding small ways to integrate a brief stroll into your daily routine,' she said. She likes to take stairs instead of the elevator or walk to a coffee shop a little farther from her home, Pocovi said. 'The key is to gradually increase your walking in a sustainable and enjoyable way,' she said in an email. 'Additionally, it can be helpful to have a friend, partner, or colleague join you for walks to keep yourself motivated and accountable.' You can add walking as a way to spend time with friends in addition to dinner and drinks, CNN fitness contributor Dana Santas, a certified strength and conditioning specialist and mind-body coach in professional sports, said in a previous article. And if you want to move past getting a couple of extra steps and get more physical activity, you can still start small and build your way up, Santas said. Some workouts can even be completed from the comfort of your couch while watching an episode of your favorite TV show, she added.
