Study: Time in nature reduces pain symptoms for people with chronic back pain
“Our research showed that those able to get out into nature saw the benefits of doing so, both from a physical and a mental perspective.
Spending time in nature can help people living with chronic lower back pain better manage their discomfort, according to a new study published in The Journal of Pain. The research, led by the University of Plymouth and the University of Exeter, is the first to explore how natural environments can be a coping strategy for sufferers of long-term back pain.
Researchers found that being in or around nature offered participants a sense of escapism and distraction, as well as opportunities for light exercise and social connection.
The study's authors asked patients, some of whom had lived with lower back pain for up to 40 years if being in nature eased their symptoms.
People who spent time in their gardens saw some benefits, but individuals who immersed themselves in larger natural spaces like forests had even greater success.
The team is also developing virtual reality tools that replicate the experience of being in nature for people who are unable to access it physically.
“Lower back pain, like many other forms of physical discomfort, can be debilitating, isolating and exhausting,” lead author Alexander Smith, a PhD researcher at the University of Plymouth, says in a statement.
“Our research showed that those able to get out into nature saw the benefits of doing so, both from a physical and a mental perspective... We hope our findings open the door to greater exploration of how that might be achieved.”
Numerous health benefits to spending time in nature
This isn't the first study to find a link between better health outcomes and time in nature, nor is it the first to find a connection between nature and reduced pain symptoms.
Research published in 2022 found more than 200 ways nature can positively influence health and well-being, and you don't even have to spend a lot of time outside.
Some experts say all you need is two hours a week.
"Many of us have heard that nature is good for us, but what many people don't know is there is an increase in research that tells us it actually changes things like our biochemistry and our brain chemistry in a positive way," psychologist Joti Samra told The Weather Network in 2019.
"Our blood pressure is reduced, our heart rate slows down, and we are more present, which all offers positive impacts on our life."