Dr. Stefano Sinicropi, M.D.

New research published in The Journal of Pain suggests that getting outside and enjoying nature can prove beneficial for patients dealing with chronic low back pain. While the study may be new, the findings are rooted in ideas that have long been championed by spine specialists as helpful ways to manage back pain. We dive deeper into the study’s findings in today’s blog on how nature can be beneficial when managing chronic low back pain.

Nature And Back Pain Treatment

Getting outdoors and connecting with nature can be useful for managing back pain in a few different ways. Researchers came away with a few conclusions after interviewing patients who had been dealing with chronic low back pain for upwards of 40 years. Here’s why researchers believe enjoying nature can aid in back pain management:

• Stay Socially Engaged – While you might imagine the ideal nature walk being one you do in silence by yourself, researchers said that getting outside can help people stay socially engaged with others. Going for a walk with a friend or family member can help them make and maintain connections on a social level, which is incredibly important for your mental and emotional health. Chronic low back pain can be isolating and leave a person wanting to remain indoors, but getting outside can help you remain socially engaged.
• Distraction – Getting outside and taking in the world around you can also prove to be a worthwhile distraction from pain. Your walk may not be painless, but getting outside and enjoying nature with others can help to take your mind off your pain, and getting some freedom from pain, even if it’s only temporary, can be wonderful amid your battle with chronic back pain.
• Peacefulness – Many study participants also cited the peacefulness of an outdoor retreat during their quest to overcome chronic low back pain. Enjoying nature can be a more pleasant environment than a gym or indoor yoga studio, and it can provide people with a feeling of tranquility they may not achieve in other places. Many found that getting outside was helpful for calming anxiety and stress associated with their back pain.
• Movement – Far too often, patients with back pain retreat to passive care options, like rest and medications. While these treatments can play a critical role as part of a more comprehensive treatment plan, patients typically find much more success when they dive into active treatments, like exercise, physical therapy and other movement-based activities. Getting outside and enjoying nature will force you to move and be active, which can strengthen supportive structures and ward off some degenerative conditions that can affect our spine.

Getting outside won’t necessarily cure your back pain, but it can be part of a greater treatment regimen that focuses on your physical, mental and emotional well-being. Ignoring any of these facets can make it more difficult for you to overcome back pain, especially in the chronic form, and nature can be respite amid a sometimes difficult quest to manage spine pain.

Let us find a back pain treatment plan that works for your unique needs and goals. For more information, or to schedule your first appointment with Dr. Sinicropi, reach out to the team at The Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today at (651) 430-3800.

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