The Runner’s World Guide to Common Running Injuries: Lower Back Pain

More likely than not, you’ll feel a nagging ache in your back at some point in your life. As many as eight in 10 people, runners and nonrunners alike, will experience back pain, which can be a frustrating pain to pinpoint and treat.Many different conditions and factors can contribute to back pain, including strained muscles, slipped disks, and fractures. So how can you determine what’s at the root of your pain and how to bounce back stronger in your running routine? In The Runner’s World Guide to Common Running Injuries, hosted by Winnie Yu, PT, DPT, CSCS, and guided by other medical experts, you’ll discover how to identify the culprit for your pain, what warning signs you should pay attention to, and how to keep your aching back at bay with some simple strength exercises and recovery tips.What You’ll LearnIn The Runner’s World Guide to Common Running Injuries: Lower Back Pain, we’ll teach you:Common underlying causes of lower back pain.How to differentiate between acute and chronic back pain, and the timelines to return to running for each.How to understand the severity of your lower back pain, and when you should seek care from a medical expert.Strengthening exercises for your back, core, and hip muscles to help you recover from and prevent lower back pain.Tips for returning to running safely and building a stronger, back pain-free running routine.Watch VideoGo DeeperUnderstand the Injury“If you’re a human being on planet Earth where there’s gravity and we get older every day, you’re going to have low back pain,” says John Vasudevan, MD. “Unfortunately, runners, even though we’re in great shape, we don’t escape it.”Because there are so many causes of lower back pain, nailing down which is the root of your ache could prove challenging. Often, the best place to start is determining whether you’re experiencing acute or chronic back pain.→ Acute back pain typically appears suddenly, and it’s usually a debilitating, disabling pain that stops you in your tracks. The pain may stretch across your back on both sides and can leave you sidelined for several days. However, the presence of pain is short-lived, with symptoms typically subsiding within seven to 10 days.→ Chronic back pain can come from many different sources and may take longer to heal, depending on the nature of the injury. You may feel chronic pain on one or both sides of your back.Underlying causes of chronic back pain:Muscle, tendon, or ligament tightness caused by insufficient abdominal or gluteal strengthExcessive tightness of muscles such as your hamstrings, hip flexors, or iliopsoasDegeneration of disksArthritis in joints between the bones of your spineHow Serious Is It?Depending on the severity of your symptoms, you may be able to continue running with some light modifications. However, in some cases, you’ll want to hit pause on your training and visit a physician for further diagnosis.🟢 Green FlagYour lower back pain goes away after your run.Your pain doesn’t appear while completing your day-to-day activities.🟡 Yellow FlagYour back pain worsens during your run, or pain becomes more severe on one side as you progress through your run. You notice a change in your gait pattern, such as stiffening of your torso or shortening of your steps.🔴 Red FlagYou experience any numbness, tingling, or weakness in your back, hip, or leg.You feel pain shooting down into your leg or experience imbalances or lack of control with your leg.If you have symptoms associated with a more serious condition, like nerve issues, disc problems, or herniation, it could take a much longer, diligent recovery period to build back up to running safely.Recover and Return to RunningIn all cases of lower back pain, you’ll want to begin your recovery by implementing strength, mobility, and activation exercises into your routine. Add the following moves to your warmup or strength training session to support back, hip, and core strengthening. You can also make these moves a part of your prehab regimen to prevent lower back pain from occurring in the first place.Figure 4 Windshield WipersTrunk RotationSupine Heel TapsBear Plank WalkoutsThroughout your recovery period, stay on track with your progress by avoiding some mistakes experts say they commonly see in runners bouncing back from low back pain.❌ Common recovery mistakes:Neglecting mobility in your day-to-day life.Only warming up your back, rather than the full kinetic chain that includes your core, hips, pelvis, and thoracic spine.Sitting or standing too long without incorporating mobility into your days.Stay Healthy and Run StrongerEven if you regularly incorporate running and movement into your everyday life, you probably spend most of your time sedentary, which can shorten and harm your back and spine. However, by focusing on mobility that targets your pelvis, hips, legs, lower and upper back, you can keep your entire back and kinetic chain healthy. A strong, healthy back is key to running stronger and sticking with your training.You can also use recovery tools such as a massage gun to loosen your hip flexors, pelvis, and muscles running along your spine. Keeping your back and its supporting muscles fresh and loose can support stronger running mechanics, including better stride length and gait.Ready to build a stronger, more resilient running routine?Whether you're beginning to run or you're training for that next marathon, the Runner’s World Guide to Common Running Injuries will help you spend less time sidelined and more time doing what you love. You’ll learn how to recognize the signs of common running injuries, understand their causes, and determine when you can safely modify your training versus when it’s time to seek medical care. This holistic program is available exclusively to Runner’s World+ members and launches on October 6!Ashley is Editor of Content Hype at Hearst’s Enthusiast & Wellness Group. She is a former collegiate runner at UNC Asheville where she studied mass communication. Ashley loves all things running; she has raced two marathons, plus has covered some of the sport’s top events in her career, including the Paris Olympics, U.S. Olympic Trials and multiple World Marathon Majors.