The effect of daily walking steps on preventing neck and low back pain in sedentary workers: A 1-year prospective cohort study

Abstract

The association between physical inactivity and several non-communicable diseases, including type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, breast and colon cancer, is well established.1 A large scale population-based study suggests a similar association between physical inactivity and chronic musculoskeletal disorders.2 However, recent systematic reviews suggest that the link with back and neck pain may be less clear-cut, and indicate a need for more research in this area.3,4 Sitthipornvorakul et al.,5 suggest that previous research has been too broadly focused, arguing that the effects of physical activity are unlikely to be the same across a broad population with disparate occupational demands. Therefore, using a prospective cohort study Sitthipornvorakul et al.,5 investigated the relationship between the incidence of low back/neck pain and amount of daily walking, specifically focusing on sedentary workers.