Why we slow down with walking with chronic low back pain?

Published on August 31, 2025

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) affects millions of people worldwide and is one of the leading causes of disability. At one point in our lives, we all have experienced back problems some worst than others. From lifting furnitures after moving into a new house to hurting our backs from work, everyone has had their share of muscle strain on their backs. While most people associate back pain with stiffness, weakness, or difficulty lifting objects, research shows that walking speed is affected as well. We often overlook this as we do not normally pay attention to how fast we walk.

Why Walking Speed Matters

Walking is one of the most important and vital human movements. Researchers and clinicians like PTs often use gait speed as a “vital sign” because it reflects overall health, physical function, and even long-term outcomes like fall risk, hospitalization, and independence. In my professional practice as a clinician, I use this often with people of all ages to measure their risk of falls. A speed of less than 1.0 m/s increases your chances of falling. Research has shown that in people with chronic back pain, speeds could be reduced by .12 m/s. 

For individuals with chronic low back pain, reduced walking speed is common. This slowing can show and provide information into deeper issues related to mobility, endurance, balance. and quality of life.

The Link Between Back Pain and Walking Speed

Several mechanisms explain why chronic low back pain slows walking:

     Avoidance of pain: People with CLBP often unconsciously shorten their steps and walk slower to minimize discomfort. I remember one time falling on my bottom after trying to pull my dog away from a vicious dog and my back hurt for days and I could barely walk.

     Weakening of muscles: Painful walking inhibits movement which contributes to a weaker core and leg muscles that perpetuates the cycle of immobility and reduced walking speed.

    Fear of movement (kinesiophobia): The worry that pain will get worst if we move makes us extremely cautious and makes us move differently and less efficiently.

     Changes in biomechanics: Back pain especially the chronic ones, changes our postural alignment and gait biomechanics. We move our hips, back and legs differently and less efficiently due to a stiff, guarded movement further contributing to a reduction in walking speed.

The Takeaway

Walking speed is more than just how fast someone moves — it tells a picture of one’s overall health and function. For people with chronic low back pain, slower walking can signal reduced quality of life and greater disability risk.