Research by the British Chiropractic Association has found that a stroll could help with back pain
Many of us spend at least 10 hours a day sitting at a desk or lounging on a couch, leading to a “sedentary epidemic”.
Research by the British Chiropractic Association lays bare the extent of back ache among Britons.
It finds 56 per cent of people older than 55 say sitting still for too long is the biggest cause of back pain with 27 per cent admitting to daily agony.
The crisis is costing the economy billions of pounds in sick leave with 31 million working days lost last year due to back and muscle problems.
However, the situation is largely self-inflicted with many of us sitting for too long at our computer screens in bad posture.
The BCA says walking could be a cheap and effective cure for millions. It is less strenuous on the joints than other forms of exercise and helps maintain bone density, it says.
Even adding just a few minutes walking to daily routines — such as taking the stairs instead of the lift — could provide relief from the pain.
Chiropractor Tim Hutchful says: “As you age it’s important to maintain a healthy lifestyle and the sooner you commit to being more active the better.
"Consider taking up a new sport that will give gentle exercise while keeping you moving and flexible or, quite simply, start walking more.”
Hitting 50 is the age when millions notice a loss of fitness and begin to put on weight, placing added pressure on the spine, joints and muscles.
Carrying extra pounds can lead to pain in the upper, middle or lower back causing health problems.
In your sixties it is common to experience degeneration of the joints, discs and other spinal tissues with osteoarthritis affecting the back.
Our increasingly sedentary lifestyles are believed to be leading to an epidemic of back pain that has seen 2.5 million people suffer daily agony.
Complaints of back and neck pain are up 10 per cent on last year.
But simple adjustments, such as sitting correctly at work and in the car can produce relief.
Workers should also take regular breaks and stretch regularly. Drinking water instead of tea or coffee also helps by keeping the body hydrated.
The BCA advises people to walk so the heel strikes the floor first, allowing the foot to act as a shock absorber and helping to propel the person.
Back pain is now so common the BCA has devised a three-minute exercise routine that can be viewed at http://bit.ly/straightenup