Walking or biking are the two most common and probably easiest forms of exercise to engage in. Very little equipment or expense is involved. A good pair of walking shoes is advised.
If you have access to a treadmill or stationary bike, you can exercise year-round with no interruptions due to weather. This type of equipment also makes it possible to keep track of your exercise program.
But even without the equipment, you can walk outdoors or in a mall and keep track of the time and distance. Intensity can be gauged by your heart rate or rate of perceived exertion (RPE). The short-form of the RPE scale goes from zero to 10.
Zero is for no exertion at all. Ten is for maximal exertion (working very hard). So for example, a rating of two means you are working a little with mild exertion. Four is somewhat hard. Seven is rated as very hard. At seven, you are breathing hard and you’ve probably broken a sweat.
For an aerobic program, you should be between five and seven. If you haven’t exercised before, it may take a few weeks to a few months to get to this level. Since your doctor has approved you for aerobic activity, you can start at a comfortable level and gradually increase the intensity and duration (how long) you exercise.
The goal is to be consistent and to stick with it. You will have to decide what works best for you. Usually a daily program of 30 to 40 minutes of moderately intense exercise is advised. This will improve your overall health and may decrease your back pain at the same time.