Cardiovascular Workouts

Walking Regularly Can Ease Your Back and Neck Pain

Most of us know that regular aerobic exercise is good for us. The American Heart Association stresses the importance of regular exercise to decrease the risk of heart and lung disease, improve sleep, decrease stress, and maintain a healthy weight. However, did you know that regular aerobic exercise has also been shown to reduce neck and back pain?

When we exercise aerobically, our blood that typically rests mostly in our organs is redistributed to our periphery. The large muscles of the legs, arms, and back get an increase in blood circulation. Blood carries nutrients and oxygen to the muscles, and carries away waste materials and toxins back to the liver. In chronic pain, the muscles of the body carry more toxins and need this exchange for healing. Further, the increased blood flow allows a rise in body temperature (a good sweat gets going), and the muscles become more flexible. Increased mobility of the muscles and joints is very healthy in recovering from injury. Finally, prolonged exercise releases healthy endorphins (our body’s natural pain killers) that heighten our mood and improve our outlook.

Cardiovascular Guidelines

• Complete cardiovascular exercise such as walking, biking, or swimming 3-5 times per week for best results.
• Stretch before exercise, and complete a 5 minute warm up at a easy intensity level
• Maintain your heart rate in your training zone for 20-40 minutes; moderately hard intensity level
• Complete a 5 minute cool down at an easy intensity level, and stretch after exercise

Finding Your Heart Rate

To determine if you are exercising in your training zone, learn how to take your pulse. The most commonly used locations for taking an accurate pulse are at the wrist (radial pulse) or at the side of the neck (carotid pulse). Immediately upon pausing exercise count the pulse, as the rate will change very rapidly. Quickly find your pulse at the wrist or neck and count the beats for ten seconds. Multiply your count by six to determine your heart rate (beats per minute). The goal is to exercise within 65-85% of your max heart rate (220 – your age). If you are having difficulty finding your heart rate or if your heart rate response to exercise is altered due to medication, you can use the Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale to determine if you are working within your training zone. Working at a “somewhat strong” to “strong” intensity level has been found to have a cardio respiratory training effect. In other words, you should have increased your respirations to the point that conversation is broken, but you can still talk without gasping for breath.