Severe lower back pain when walking or standing

Back pain can have reasons that aren’t related to the underlying disease. Examples include overuse, such as working out or lifting too much, continued sitting and lying down, and sleeping in a difficult position, which can cause severe lower back pain when walking or standing. 

Back pain can have reasons that aren’t related to the underlying disease. Examples include overuse, such as working out or lifting too much, continued sitting and lying down, and sleeping in a difficult position, which can cause severe lower back pain when walking or standing. Postural stress is the most common cause of lower back pain. Ordinarily, when you’re standing and walking, the prolonged pressure on your spine can cause the lower back muscles to tighten and spasm, leading to pain.

Some specific causes of lower back pain include:

• Sprains from elongated ligaments
• Strains from extreme force put on a muscle
• Spinal stenosis is the stress on nerves produced by the contraction of spaces in the spine.
• Degenerative disc disease, when discs among vertebrae break down, reducing the space between them and disturbing surrounding nerves.

 Lower back hurts when walking or standing

Your lower back grants support and stability to your body when you’re in an elevated position. Every vertebra is separated by a jelly-filled disc that works as a pillow. These discs can become inflamed when standing for long periods. They can also endure wear and tear with age. Standing or walking for extended periods may worsen this inflammation, ending in pain.

Causes of severe lower back pain when walking or standing

~ Poor posture

Holding a poor posture for a day or two won’t create damage to your back. But do it over numerous years, and it will alter the anatomy of your spine: Discs, joints, muscles, ligaments, blood vessels, and nerves on your back will all undergo further strain.

~ Being overweight 

Every extra pound of weight places an additional four pounds of pressure on your joints. This involves what’s named the facet joints, which are positioned between vertebrae. These joints let your back be flexible when you have to bend down or rotate around.

~ Stress

Standing or walking for extended periods places tension on your lower back. In addition to the real stress on lumbar vertebrae, if you’re standing at a high-demand job, your back muscles may tense as well, developing the pain.

~ Sedentary lifestyle

Inactivity leads to what’s known as Disuse Syndrome. If you are used to having an inactive lifestyle, you could accidentally be causing the degeneration of your musculoskeletal system. As an outcome, you’ll undergo a long list of health infirmities, including chronic lower back pain.

~ Replace your mattress

Not all mattresses are designed equally. If you purchased yours because it was on sale on Memorial Day, without concern for what your body requires, or if you bought it over ten years ago, it may be time to revisit that judgment and watch for one that takes into account your body type, weight, preferred sleeping position or any back situation that may lack additional spinal support.

Lower Back Pain Treatment

In addition to the physical therapy exercises advised by your doctor, apply heat therapy, 15 minutes at a time. This will promote muscle relaxation and blood flow, which results in improving your lower back or back pain.

Tips to prevent severe lower back pain when walking or standing-

• If frequent walking is painful, try walking in a frothy pool. The resilience of water may present adequate relief to allow you to finish your walking exercise.
• Always use accurate posture during walking by maintaining your spine easily curved. Your shoulders must be loosened, with your head adjusted to your spine.
• Begin with a little, 5 to 10-minute walk every day and steadily work your way up. You may also use a treadmill or an elliptical machine, whichever you choose.

Why Walking Is Good for Your Lower Back?

Walking is so good for your lower back because of the following reasons-

~ Walking strengthens the muscles that support your spine

Your trunk, core, and lumbar (lower back) muscles play an essential role in keeping the stability and mobility of your lower back. These muscles can convert deconditioned and weak from an inactive lifestyle, creating spine malalignment. Over time, there may be an increase in muscular weakness, fatigue, injury, and pain. The overall mass of your spinal muscles may also decrease.

When you walk, the fitness of your back muscles is developed in the following ways-

1. Flushes out toxins. Muscles generate physiologic toxins when they contract and extend. Over time, these toxins can expand within the lower back muscle tissues and create stiffness. Walking aids flush out these toxins and develop flexibility.
2. Increases blood flow. Reduced physical activity can cause the tiny blood vessels of your spine to become compressed, decreasing blood flow to the spinal muscles. Walking benefits open up the blood vessels, improving the supply of oxygen and nutrients to these muscles.

~ Walking increases flexibility in your lower back.

The deficiency of physical activity can make the muscles and joints in your lower back and hips tough. This stiffness affects increased pressure on the lumbar spine (lower back), changing its standard shape. Walking improves flexibility by stretching the muscles and ligaments in the back, legs, and buttocks. When you walk, particular muscles, such as your hamstrings, erector muscles of the spine, and hip flexor muscles, are stimulated and stretched. Walking also helps improve the overall range of motion in your lower back.

Some Extra health benefits of severe lower back pain when walking or standing

While walking can help enhance function in your lower back, it also has other health advantages. Binding to a regular walking program may help in these as well-

• Decrease or manage an optimal weight
• Keep blood pressure under control
• Enhance the levels of total cholesterol
• Reduce anxiety and distress
• Decrease the chance of heart disease and dementia.

Walking also increases the production of endorphins (a natural pain-inhibiting hormone).

FAQs about Lower back pain when walking