Question for obese walkers

try to stretch a bit, if you have not purchased a good pair of shoes that helps. Maybe take short walks a few times a day and build up..... hope this helps

Yep, what all was mentioned above.

My lower back would give me a some grief when I first started walking/hiking last summer. A good stretch will get you a good start, but ultimately it's a matter of strengthening those muscles which will take time. Start out small, and gradually go longer as your body allows. I started out w/ my back acting up after about half a mile, but now (several months and 50lbs lighter) I can go 5-6 miles without any pain...my only real limiting factor now seems to be hunger/water. A good shoe fit can make a big difference as the shoe is what distributes your weight to the ground.

It may seem frustrating like you're stuck in a pit now. Don't let it get you down, we all had to start somewhere. Perhaps one day you'll come to enjoy it and it won't feel like work. Hiking & cycling are a couple of my favorite things at the moment...and they are things I hadn't done in over 15 years before last summer.

Get a doctor to check if your legs are the same length. Having one shorter than the other can cause back pain, especially when walking for exercise. I find a little lift in my left shoe helps a lot.

If you have access to a pool, I highly recommend it! Even just being suspended in the water can ease some back pain. Water aerobics is a good workout but gentle on the joints. If you can't imagine yourself in a bathing suit, just know that once you are in the water, no one can see you! I know this didn't relate to your walking question, but I have found that the pool is like a youth serum! You can also water walk with a flotation belt or device.

Suitable footwear can make a massive difference - I found I was over-pronating so have added orthotic insoles to almost all my shoes. Avoid wearing ballet pump type shoes, as you end up just slapping your heels off the floor which can cause/increase back pain.

I also found that doing strength training and yoga helped strengthen my back muscles, improving my posture and relieving my back pain. I now rarely suffer with any back ache.

I recommend having your feet looked at by a podiatrist! I did and it turns out that I've been walking around for years with plantar fasciitis! Even if you don't have that, good support is crucial for your footwear!

I echo all the others who recommend to get checked by a professional. I had lower back pain for years, initiated by a sciatic nerve injury that eventually cleared up, except I took too long to address it so my muscles had grown used to the bad posture I developed to manage the pain. I went to a doctor and got a referral for physical therapy. I also saw a chiropractor who noticed that my legs were misaligned and one was lower than the other. He righted that pretty quickly.

I also learned along the way that I have an anteriorly tilted pelvis. Basically the top of my pelvis is tilted more forward than it should be (you can google images of it), and this caused strain on my glutes, hamstrings, and hip flexors but presented simply as lower back pain. Building my core strength with PT exercises, minding my posture, practicing yoga, and losing weight have eliminated most of that stiffness and pain my lower back.

Also, get properly fitted tennis shoes, but be prepared to shell out >$100 for them.

thelandkraken wrote: »

Thank you all for your help and suggestions!

I do swim as well! But the pool is quite a distance away and I thought adding in a bit of walking would help me move more each day.

I wear pretty good trainers for walking, though I have no idea about things like orthotics and leg length and discs. I’ll give it a week or so and if the pain is still there or increases then I’ll head GP-ward

Well, then you are well on your way!

Some lower back fatigue is to be expected from walking. Within reason it is good for you. Maybe taking it slow and steady will build up your capability and it will get better!

Anyway, UBU and everything will BOK.

Great advice here (professional consult, warmups, good shoes, gradual rampups, pool, etc.). Let me add two more: trekking poles and a personal trainer. There are about a million youtube videos on the poles to fill you in; there is even a related activity, a specialized walking program, called nordic walking which might be beneficial after you have some base fitness. Don't be put off by the concept of using poles as being silly. I started walking and dayhiking this past Autumn and Winter, including with a Seniors' Hiking Group; the poles are a great and accepted asset (oh, getting walking buddies or a group will also propel you along, too, out of your own rut, so to speak). When most folks talk about a professional consult before exercising, they'll mean a "medical professional" - I'm being explicit by calling out a trainer. It might seem overkill to consult a trainer about walking - after all, you've been doing it since you were a baby - but walking correctly, in a structured and full fitness program, is another level. IMHO. Good luck.

PS - regarding trekking poles. Get ones that have optional rubber tips if you're on pavement/etc. Typically, they have sharp little carbide tips intended to give purchase when you're on a dirt trail. Trekking poles aren't ski poles. Also, regarding nordic walking: the poles are slightly different, and the walking style is as well. Again, about a million youtube videos exist. I had to work up gradually to a point where the various muscles - and my feet - didn't complain about being used. Male, overweight (considerably), over 60, and a lifetime sedentary career. I'm trying to rectify the results of the latter.

In my case, when I started walking with a tight core, meaning pulling my bellybutton to my back and holding it for the duration of the walk, my back stopped hurting when I walked.

***Im not a medical professional, so I agree with the users here advising you to seek a medical professional for your back pain.