How to Prevent Lower Back Pain After Running
Sports & Activity
Here's how you can identify the cause of your discomfort so you can manage symptoms — and potentially treat it for good.
Running provides people with many physical and mental benefits, but it’s tough to enjoy the exercise if you’re experiencing lower back pain after you run. Whether it’s a sharp pain or a dull ache, lower back pain can cause you to cut your run short.
It's not uncommon to experience lower back pain from running, especially if you have weak core muscles. Or the pain after running could be the result of another underlying problem. While some causes of a runner's lower back pain may require medical attention, most common aches and pains can be treated at home. And you can prevent lower back pain by getting stronger, improving your mobility, and increasing your speed and distance gradually. A solid pair of well-fitting running shoes can also set a runner up for success.
Read on to find out how to identify the cause of your lower back pain after a run. Then, get tips on how to prevent and potentially even treat it for good.
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Common Causes of Lower Back Pain After Running
1.Weak Deep Core Muscles
A 2018 study published in the Journal of Biomechanics found that runners with weak deep core muscles are more likely to suffer from muscle fatigue or injury and increase their spinal loading, which can result in damage to the spine. Strengthening the deep core muscles can go a long way in preventing pain in the low back after running.
2.Poor Posture
Hyperlordosis, a form of poor posture, is a common cause of lower back pain in runners. It looks like an exaggerated C-shape arch in your lower back. If you stand with your hips and shoulders against the wall and notice a lot of space behind your lower back, you may need to work on correcting your posture with stretches and strength training.
3.Muscle Strain or Sprain
Torn or damaged ligaments (sprains) and muscles or tendons (strains) can result from the stress of running, especially if you’re a beginner and you try to increase your speed and distance too quickly. These injuries can result in back spasms, stiffness, and pain.
4.Damaged Spinal Discs
Degenerative disc disease can happen with age and lead to weak spinal discs. Since your discs absorb some of the impact of running, you can get lower back pain from running as they wear down.
A herniated disc or slipped disc is another injury that can occur. It happens when the center of the disc emerges through a crack in the outer ring. This can sometimes cause permanent nerve damage, so you’ll want to consult a doctor to see if surgery is necessary for your case.
5.Sciatica
When there’s pressure on your sciatic nerve, the pain can radiate from your lower back or buttock down one or both of your legs. Since the muscles you use when you run are attached to the sciatic nerve, running can worsen sciatica symptoms.
6.Piriformis Syndrome
This is a disorder that causes the piriformis muscle in the buttock to spasm. Not only is it a pain in the butt, but it can also irritate the sciatic nerve, which can cause radiating pain down your leg. It’s uncommon, but running can make it feel even worse.
How to Treat Low Back Pain After Running
- Foam Roll: Using a foam roller is like treating yourself to an at-home deep tissue massage. This self-care technique will loosen the muscles of your lower back and hamstrings to treat stiffness and pain.
- Apply Heat or Ice: Heat works to reduce spasms during the first couple of days after an injury, while ice helps with inflammation. You can often relieve muscle pain from running by alternating between hot and cold therapy.
- Take Medication: Over-the-counter anti inflammatory medications will help with most problems, but muscle relaxers or other stronger prescription pain relievers may be required for more serious injuries.
- Stretch: Restorative stretching, such as a yoga class, can sometimes ease lower back pain from running.
- Consult a Physical Therapist or Doctor: If your low back pain persists or gets worse, you may require steroid injections, a specific exercise program, or even surgery to relieve the pain.
How to Prevent Lower Back Pain from Running
- Warm Up: Gradually warming up your cardiovascular system will speed up blood flow to your muscles and reduce your risk of injury.
- Stretch Your Hamstrings: When your hamstrings are tight, your lumbar spine tends to curve inward, which can cause pain when you run. Make sure to stretch your hamstrings at least twice per day if you experience back pain when you run.
- Work on Strength Training: Running can lead to overuse injuries. One way to prevent injuries to the lower back is to strengthen the deep core muscles with plank work and other core exercises. Try some of the core workouts featured in the Nike Training Club app.
- Improve Your Hip Mobility: One of the muscles in your hip flexors connects to your lumbar spine. When that muscle is tight, it can cause lower back pain. A standing figure four is easy to perform at street corners, but you’ll also want to deepen your flexibility at home with yoga poses such as happy baby pose and pigeon pose.
- Build Speed Slowly: Injuries tend to result from increasing the intensity or distance of your run too quickly. If your lower back starts hurting after 30 minutes after running, start with a 20-minute run, incorporate strength training in your routine and build up to your goals gradually.
- Run on a Rubber Track: A rubber track helps mitigate some of the impact of running so it puts less stress on your body than pavement. This can be helpful for beginner runners.
- Wear the Right Running Shoes: Support your back from the ground up with a comfortable pair of running shoes that have enough cushioning to absorb shock. Nike running shoes such as React foam, ZoomX foam and Zoom Air are designed with technology to deliver a spring in your step without adding unnecessary weight and also prevent pain elsewhere in the body, like the knees.
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Is It Bad to Run with Lower Back Pain?
That depends on the type of condition causing your back pain and the severity of your symptoms. If your pain gets worse with running, ask your doctor. You may need to take a break until your injury has healed. However, running is generally good for your spine health because it strengthens your discs. And unless you already have an injury, it’s easy to avoid back pain with the right preparation and training.
How Do You Reduce Lower Back Pain from Running?
Make sure to warm up thoroughly and stretch your hamstrings frequently. You should also incorporate strength training into your workout routine to build the deep core muscles of your low back. If you’re a beginner, build up your speed and distance slowly, and be sure to wear a well-fitting pair of shoes.
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Nike Run Club
Listen to the Guided Runs in the Nike Run Club App and run with some of the best coaches and athletes, like Eliud Kipchoge, Shalane Flanagan, and Mo Farah. Our Guided Runs give you the guidance you need to listen to your body, adapt to your training plan, and become your own best coach.