Back exercises are not the answer to lower back pain

Exercise may help ease lower back pain - just as long as the exercise is not specifically targeting the back, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that of the nearly 700 patients with low back pain they followed for 18 months, those who walked and got other forms of "recreational" exercise had a lower risk of pain over time.

In contrast, those who performed exercises specifically for their backs appeared to make matters worse.

Lower back pain is one of the most common reasons for Americans' trips to the doctor, and the top reason people seek alternative therapies like acupuncture.

Chiropractors and physical therapists often prescribe exercises to mobilise and strengthen the lower back, but growing evidence suggests that targeting the back does not help, and may even aggravate, the pain.

The new findings, published in the American Journal of Public Health, add to that notion and point to the benefits of general activity like brisk walking or swimming.

Participants who got the equivalent of three or more hours of brisk walking per week had a better prognosis than those who got little to no general exercise showing improvements, a researcher said, in pain, disability and psychological distress.

On the other hand, back exercises generally increased patients' risk of suffering pain and disability over time.