Expert: Dr. Peter Carr - 10/4/2009

Question
can walking 4 miles daily with alot of steep hills be bad for this pain which i have had for 3 yrs.

Answer
Barb;

Maybe a better question is: Why you have been dealing with low back pain for 3 years?   Walking typically makes the sacrum and it's hinge, the S/I joint, work really well.   However, this hasn't been working for the last 3 years!   It may be time to try something different.  I don't want to sound like I'm shilling a product here, but a hands on chiropractor can often get a stuck and painful SI joint moving again, with a total cessation of pain altogether!

So to answer your question:  In some instances, yes,  walking can make sacral pain worse, but in most patients not. If you were here, however, I would recommend you get evaluated for the cause of your pain, address it,and then think about activities that will help you out.

I hope this answer helps.

Dr. Peter Carr
Seattle, WA