Abstract

Background: The role of Nordic Walking in alleviation of low back, hip and knee pain while walking is still uncertain. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of Nordic Walking on pain on walking and on distance walked in elderly people with chronic low back, hip and/or knee pain.
Methods: Participants included 100 ambulatory people aged 60 plus with chronic low back, hip, and/ or knee pain while walking (mean duration of pain 11.7±13.2 years) who were taught Nordic Walking. Severity of pain during walking and the maximum distance they were able to walk were assessed before starting and again after 1, 6 and 12 weeks of Nordic Walking. A Visual Analogue Scale was used to assess the severity of pain, with zero being no pain and 10 being very severe pain. Distance walked was estimated by each person.
Results: Ninety one participants continued to use the poles for the entire 12 week period and the other nine dropped out because they felt they were not receiving sufficient pain relief with them. Of the ninety one participants, the mean estimated walking distance at baseline before Nordic Walking was 504.7 ± 591.4 meters (m), 1521.5± 817.7 m after one week of Nordic Walking, 1778.3 ± 885.7 m after 6 weeks and 1851.7 ± 940.0 m after 12 weeks. The differences between estimated walking distances between 1, 6 and 12 weeks were all significantly different from baseline, p<0.001. The mean Visual Analogue Score at baseline was 6.8 ± 1.9, 1.8 ± 1.9 after 1 week, 1.6 ± 1.6 after six weeks and 1.5 ± 1.6 after 12 weeks. The differences in scores between 1, 6 and 12 weeks were all significantly different from baseline, p<0.001.
Conclusion: Nordic Walking reduced the severity of low back, hip and knee pain while walking and increased the distance walked in 91% of the subjects.