Running is a great way to build fitness, strength, and endurance, but it can also place repetitive stress on your body. For some runners, that stress can contribute to lower back pain, stiffness, or discomfort that makes running less enjoyable. However, taking care of your back doesn’t have to mean giving up running.
Back care for runners involves building strength, maintaining mobility, paying attention to running form, managing training load, and allowing adequate time for recovery. Understanding the common causes of back pain from running can also help you identify potential problems before they become more serious.
Let’s take a look at why runners experience back pain, how running form and training habits can affect your back, and practical strategies you can use to prevent and manage back pain while continuing to run.
Why Do Runners Experience Back Pain?
Running is a repetitive activity, so your back, hips, pelvis, and core have to work together to stabilize your body with every stride. When training demands increase faster than your body can adapt, discomfort or pain may develop.
Here are some of the most common reasons runners experience back pain.
Increasing Mileage or Intensity Too Quickly
One of the most common contributors to running related aches and pains is doing too much too soon. A sudden increase in mileage, speed work, hill training, or long run distance can place additional stress on the muscles and tissues around your lower back.
Giving your body time to adapt to changes in training can help reduce unnecessary stress. Increases in training volume and intensity should generally be gradual rather than making several major changes at once.
Weak Core Muscles
Your core helps stabilize your pelvis and spine while you run. If your core and surrounding muscles aren’t strong enough to support that load, your body may have a harder time maintaining stability as you fatigue.
Exercises such as planks, side planks, dead bugs, bird dogs, and other anti-rotation exercises can help runners develop the strength needed to control their trunk while running.
Weak Glutes and Hips
Your glutes and hip muscles play an important role in controlling your pelvis and lower body while you run. Weakness or poor coordination in these muscles can affect how you move and may place additional demands on other areas of the body, including the lower back.
Including exercises such as squats, bridges, lunges, step-ups, and single-leg exercises can help build the strength and control runners need.
Limited Mobility
Limited mobility in areas such as the hips, ankles, or thoracic spine can affect running mechanics. When one area doesn’t move well, another part of the body may compensate.
For some runners, improving mobility can make movement more comfortable and efficient. The appropriate approach to use usually depends on what’s contributing to your symptoms.
Running Form and Posture
Running form can influence how forces are distributed throughout the body. Factors such as overstriding, excessive trunk movement, or changes in form that occur when a runner becomes fatigued may contribute to discomfort in some runners.
There isn’t one perfect running form that everyone needs to follow. Instead, runners should focus on finding a comfortable, sustainable stride and addressing obvious changes in form that may occur with fatigue or pain.
Poor Recovery
Training is only part of the equation. Your body also needs adequate recovery to adapt to the stress of running.
Insufficient rest, consistently poor sleep, inadequate nutrition, or stacking too many hard workouts together can make it harder for your body to recover. A well-balanced training schedule should include easier days and rest days along with harder workouts.
Previous Injuries
A previous injury can sometimes affect how you move even after the original symptoms have improved. Changes in strength, mobility, or movement patterns may place additional stress on other areas of the body.
If back pain keeps returning or doesn’t improve with changes to your training, a physical therapist can help identify contributing factors and determine appropriate treatment and a return to running plan.
How to Prevent Back Pain When Running
While it’s not possible to completely prevent back pain, runners can take several steps to reduce their risk. Good back care involves managing your training load, building strength, maintaining mobility, and giving your body enough time to recover.
Increase Your Training Gradually
One of the best ways to reduce unnecessary stress on your body is to avoid sudden increases in training. Rapidly adding mileage, speedwork, hills, or long runs can increase the demands placed on your muscles and joints.
When increasing your training, make changes gradually and avoid increasing several aspects of your training at the same time. Give your body enough time to adapt before adding additional stress.
Strength Train
A strong core helps stabilize your trunk and pelvis while you run. Include core exercises in your strength routine two or more times per week, depending on your overall training schedule.
Your glutes and hip muscles also contribute to stability and movement while running. Strengthening these muscles can help you better handle the demands of running.
Maintain Mobility
Good mobility can help you move comfortably and efficiently while running. Pay attention to areas that may become stiff, particularly your hips, ankles, and upper back.
Dynamic mobility exercises can be especially useful as part of a warm up before running. Gentle stretching can also be included after workouts or on recovery days if it feels good to you.
Pay Attention to Running Form
Focus on running in a relaxed, comfortable manner rather than trying to force yourself into a specific posture or stride. Rather than making major changes to form on your own, consider having your movement evaluated by a qualified professional.
Vary Your Training
Running is repetitive, so incorporating other forms of exercise can provide variety while helping you develop overall strength and fitness. Strength training, cycling, swimming, walking, and other low impact activities can complement your running.
Listen to Your Body
Mild muscle soreness after a challenging workout is different from persistent or worsening pain. If back pain changes your running form, continues to get worse, keeps returning, or interferes with everyday activities, reduce your training and seek out help from a PT.
How to Manage Back Pain and Keep Running
Back pain doesn’t always mean you need to stop running completely. In many cases, modifying your training can allow you to stay active while your symptoms improve. However, the right approach depends on the cause and severity of your pain.
The goal should be to find a balance between maintaining activity and giving your body enough time to recover.
Reduce Your Training Load
If your back starts bothering you, consider temporarily reducing your mileage, pace, or workout intensity. You may be able to continue running at an easier effort if doing so doesn’t increase your symptoms.
For example, you might replace a speed workout with an easy run, shorten your long run, or take an additional rest day.
Avoid trying to maintain your normal training schedule if running consistently makes your pain worse.
Take a Break From Hard Workouts
Speedwork, hills, and long runs place greater demands on your body. If these types of workouts aggravate your back, temporarily removing them may allow you to stay active without adding as much stress.
Easy running, walking, or another low-impact activity may be appropriate while your symptoms settle, depending on how your body responds.
Use Cross-Training
Cross-training can be a useful way to maintain some cardiovascular fitness when running isn’t comfortable.
Activities such as cycling, swimming, or using an elliptical may provide alternatives options to keep up your fitness.
When Should a Runner See a Healthcare Professional?
Mild discomfort may improve with changes to your training, rest, and appropriate self care. However, there are situations when it’s important to have back pain evaluated by a healthcare professional.
Your Pain Is Severe or Getting Worse
If your back pain is severe, continues to worsen, or doesn’t improve after modifying your activities, it’s a good idea to seek professional advice.
Persistent pain shouldn’t simply be ignored in the hope that it will eventually go away, particularly if it’s affecting your ability to run or perform everyday activities.
Your Pain Keeps Coming Back
If back pain repeatedly returns every time you increase your mileage or intensity, there may be an underlying issue that needs to be addressed.
A physical therapist or sports medicine professional can evaluate your movement, strength, training history, and symptoms to help determine potential contributing factors.
You Have Numbness, Tingling, or Weakness
Back pain accompanied by numbness, tingling, or weakness, particularly when symptoms extend into the leg, should be evaluated by a healthcare professional.
These symptoms can sometimes indicate irritation or compression of a nerve and shouldn’t be treated as ordinary post-run soreness.
Your Pain Changes How You Run
If you’re changing your stride, posture, or movement to avoid pain, it’s worth taking a closer look at the issue. Trying to run through pain while significantly altering your mechanics may place additional stress on other parts of your body.
Your Pain Interferes With Everyday Activities
Back pain that makes it difficult to walk, sit, sleep, work, or perform normal daily activities should be checked out. Your ability to complete everyday activities can provide useful information about the severity and impact of your symptoms.
Back Care for Runners: Key Takeaways
Back pain doesn’t necessarily mean you need to stop running. By taking a few steps to manage your symptoms and improve how your body is moving can make a big difference. Increase your training gradually and make sure to strength train to prevent issues with your back.
Something else to keep in mind is that running is not always the cause of back pain. Consider how you are spending the rest of your time when you are not running. Are you sitting or driving alot? Do you carry a child on one hip? Do you sit slouched on your sofa every night or look down at your phone all day? These factors can definitely contribute to any issues you are having with your back!
Have you ever dealt with back pain?
How do you prevent back pain from running?
You may also like:
How to Recover After a Disappointing Race
Hip Internal Rotation for Runners: Why and How to Improve It
How Runners Can Safely Introduce Speedwork Into Training
Now it’s time for the Runners’ Roundup! Link up your running and fitness posts below! Join myself, Coach Debbie Runs, Confessions of a Mother Runner and Runs with Pugs to post your favorite running tips, experiences, race and training recaps, workouts, gear, and coaching ideas.
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