Fitness trends

Some key statements from this article about fitness trends to watch in 2017 and thoughts about how Nordic walking addresses all those trends:

Quotations from the article	Nordic walking
"It's not about exercise at all, but about movement. That moving more throughout the day might be better than trying to find the best way to spend that single hour you've allotted to [exercise]."	Nordic walking involves you in full body movement
"…millennials flocking to big, expensive cities are looking for alternative (i.e., cheaper) ways to get around. As a result, walking and cycling commutes are picking up steam."	Nordic walking poles can be affordable, and you can Nordic walk anywhere
"…the need for better recovery habits will be the new focus of the wellness and fitness industry."	A typical Nordic walking program can be walking every other day, integrating rest into the schedule
"Intuitive training essentially means listening to your body and exercising in a way that honors how you're feeling on a day-to-day basis."	You can vary the intensity of a walk and integrate other kinds of exercise during a walk
"…for the average consumer, 'convenience remains king,' which is why live-streaming classes are gaining such steam."	Why livestream a coach yelling at you when you can listen to your favorite music while Nordic walking
"…there's a wellness tour that will cater to your every desire."	The International Nordic Walking Federation held their annual convention in Verona, Italy. Need I say more?
"Big gyms are trying to fight their way back to the front of the line by bringing boutique-style classes into their clubs, often at a fraction of the cost of similar classes at smaller, private studios."	Nordic walking programs can include aerobic and other movements, making it a possible addition to gym programs
"…wearables are getting smarter, with an element of artificial intelligence turning them from wearables to 'awareables.'"	You can track your Nordic walking progress and results with wearables

Good information about Nordic walking and why it's a great exercise activity.

Some help for low back pain

I came across a research article suggesting people with low back pain fared better with Nordic walking than with instruction about remaining generally active.

One limitation of the article: the researchers said the results showed those doing Nordic walking felt better but that the results weren't statistically significant. That is, the data wasn't strong enough to show the improvement could be attributed to something other than chance.

Does that mean Nordic walking isn't worth doing? More likely, some participants will tell their friends Nordic walking worked. Here are a couple of articles where the connection between Nordic walking and low back pain appeared to be statistically significant:

• "Nordic walking was used to rehabilitate a 48 year Woman who suffered from back and leg pain."
• "Chronic low back pain, a complaint often received from elderly women, was reduced by pole-induced power walking."

Research into the benefits of Nordic walking continues, something doctoral candidates might look into if they're looking for dissertation topics.