Please note: This information is educational and not a substitute for medical advice. Check with your provider before starting a new exercise or self-care routine, especially if you have a heart or lung condition, recent surgery, osteoporosis, or are pregnant.
What it is
Therapeutic exercise means regular, planned movement chosen to fit your body and your pain: walking, gentle aerobic activity, strength work and flexibility work. Walking is an easy place to start because it needs no equipment and you can adjust it day by day.
The goal is not to push through pain. It is to build up slowly, so your muscles, joints and nervous system get used to moving again.
How it may help
Guidelines for chronic low back pain list exercise among the first treatments to try. The American College of Physicians recommends exercise as an initial non-drug option, and the NIH notes that staying active is generally better than bed rest.[1][2]
For arthritis, structured walking programs such as the Arthritis Foundation’s Walk With Ease may help reduce pain and stiffness and improve how well people move. Results vary, and benefits usually build over weeks rather than days.[3][4]
Results vary from person to person. These approaches are meant to complement, not replace, the care plan from your provider.
Starter routine
1. Warm up
Walk slowly for 3 to 5 minutes. Let your arms swing naturally and keep your head up.
3–5 minutes, easy pace
2. Find your starting time
Walk at a comfortable pace for as long as you can without your pain getting clearly worse. For many people this is 5 to 10 minutes. That is your starting point.
5–10 minutes, “can talk easily” pace
3. Add a little each week
If your pain stays about the same or better for 24 hours after walking, add 1 to 2 minutes per walk the following week.
+1–2 minutes per week
4. Cool down and stretch
Slow down for the last few minutes, then do a gentle standing stretch. Reach up tall, breathe out and relax your shoulders.
2–3 minutes
5. Rest days count
Plan 1 to 2 lighter days each week. On a flare day, take a shorter walk instead of stopping completely.
Shorter walk on flare days
Illustrations move gently between positions. If your device is set to reduce motion, they stay still.
Safety tips
- Wear supportive shoes and walk on even ground at first.
- Split walking into two or three short walks if one long walk is too much.
- Use the “talk test”: you should be able to speak in full sentences.
- Count steps or minutes in a notebook or phone so you can see progress.
- Adults are generally advised to work toward about 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, built up gradually. [cdc_pa]
Stop and call your provider if you notice:
- New weakness, numbness or tingling in a leg or arm, or numbness in the groin or inner thighs
- Loss of bladder or bowel control (call 911 or go to the emergency department)
- Chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness or fainting
- Sharp pain that is clearly worse during or after the activity and does not settle within a day or two
- Fever, unexplained weight loss, or pain after a fall or injury
Mild soreness that fades within a day is common when starting something new. Sharp, spreading or worsening pain is not.
Watch and learn
Video: “Walk With Ease: Week 1” from Arthritis Foundation on YouTube. It loads from youtube-nocookie.com only when you press play. Shown for general education; GSMC did not produce it. Watch on YouTube
Video: “Mayo Clinic Minute: How much exercise do you need?” from Mayo Clinic on YouTube. It loads from youtube-nocookie.com only when you press play. Shown for general education; GSMC did not produce it. Watch on YouTube
Video: “How to Stay Active With Osteoarthritis? - Mayo Clinic” from Mayo Clinic on YouTube. It loads from youtube-nocookie.com only when you press play. Shown for general education; GSMC did not produce it. Watch on YouTube
Captions: press the CC button in the video player to turn on captions. Some captions are generated automatically by YouTube and may contain errors.
Conditions this may help with
Sources
- American College of Physicians: Noninvasive treatments for acute, subacute, and chronic low back pain (clinical practice guideline, Annals of Internal Medicine, 2017)
- NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH): Low back pain and complementary health approaches
- Arthritis Foundation: Walk With Ease program
- CDC: Adult activity: an overview (physical activity guidelines)
This information is educational and not a substitute for medical advice.