Hiking is great exercise for building strength, stamina, stability, and even has proven cognitive benefits like elevated mood and increased serotonin levels. But beyond all these benefits, many of our readers want to know: is hiking good for back pain?
It turns out that yes, hiking is good for back pain because it strengthens the muscles that support your spine and increases flexibility in your lower back.
Read on for an in-depth explanation of the benefits hiking provides for back pain.
If there are other physical concerns you have, check out our guides on how to strengthen knees for hiking.
If you’re looking to get in better physical shape for hiking, see our guide on 6 exercises to give you explosive power for hiking uphill.
Why Is Hiking Good For Back Pain?
Hiking Strengthens The Muscles That Support Your Spine
Your core, trunk, and lumbar (aka lower back) muscles play a key role in providing stability and movement of your lower back.
These muscles can be weakened overtime from inactivity and can cause malalignment of your spine.
Over time, there can be an increase of fatigue, injury, muscle weakness, and pain.
Hiking Increases Blood Flow
Hiking helps to open up your blood vessels which increases the supply of nutrients and oxygen to your spinal muscles, helping them to better support your spine and reduce strain.
Hiking Flushes Out Muscle Toxins
Physiologic toxins are produced by muscles during contraction and expansion.
These toxins can accumulate over time within your lower back muscles causing stiffness and pain.
Hiking and other exercise helps improve your back pain and flexibility by flushing out these toxins.
Hiking Increases Lower Back Flexibility
Stiffness caused by inactivity increases pressure on your lower back (aka lumbar spine) which can alter its normal curvature.
Hiking improves the flexibility of your lower back by stretching the ligaments and muscles in your legs, buttocks, and back.
Muscle groups like your hamstrings, hip flexors, and spine erector muscles are stretched and activated while hiking which improves the range of motion in your lower back.
Hiking Reduces The Amount Of Stress Placed On Your Lower Back
A clear benefit of hiking is reducing weight which has a direct impact on the amount of stress your lower back muscles (and other muscles) have to carry.
Other Health Benefits Of Hiking
In addition to hiking being good for back pain, hiking has also been shown to:
-Help reduce and/or maintain a healthy weight
-Improve total cholesterol levels
-Reduce the risk of heart disease
-Keep blood pressure levels under control
-Decrease depression and anxiety
-Reduce the risk of dementia
Along with the general benefit of spending time outdoors and considering the physical and mental benefits, this makes hiking one of the best overall forms of physical activity that anyone can participate in.
How To Prevent Back Pain While Hiking
A good exercise regimen can go a long way to improving the quality of your hikes and ensure that back pain doesn’t cut your time on the trail short.
If walking or hiking is painful for you, you can start by doing short walks in a pool. The buoyancy will help reduce the weight placed on your muscles and joints.
Practice proper posture while walking and/or hiking, being sure to keep your shoulders relaxed and your head balanced on top of your spine and not angled forward.
You can work your way up to longer hikes by starting with five or ten minute walks, increasing the time and distance gradually. Elliptical machines and treadmills are good options for this too.
Is Hiking Good For Back Pain? Conclusion
All in all, hiking is a great way to reduce and prevent back pain and provides many additional physical and mental benefits to boot.