Overview

• A Norwegian study published in JAMA Network Open analyzed movement sensor data from over 11,000 adults tracked between 2017 and 2023.
• Participants who walked more than 100 minutes daily experienced a 23% lower risk of developing chronic lower back pain compared with those walking under 78 minutes.
• Researchers found that the total time spent walking mattered more than walking intensity in reducing the likelihood of persistent back pain.
• Study limitations include its observational design and single-point measurement of activity, which prevent definitive conclusions about causality.
• Authors recommend promoting daily walking as an accessible, cost-effective preventive strategy against a condition affecting more than 61% of Germans annually.