Walking and your back

Walking and talking are everyday activities, but combining the two may be bad news for your back.

The spine completely relies on trunk muscles for postural support and stability, but these muscles also have respiratory and communicative functions. It is natural that as the body inhales, abdominal muscle activity is reduced. This means that the respiratory pause made while speaking poses a potential conflict between the postural and respiratory functions of the abdominal musculature. According to back-health experts, our bodies will naturally exhale when our feet touch the ground while walking. This helps to stabilize the spine and protect it from the impact of each step. However, a recent study has shown that talking while walking can interrupt this pattern, and this may open the door to injury a point of great interest for those already suffering from back problems.

What to do? Leave your cell phone at home while out walking, and if walking with a partner, choose to converse while streching, instead.