Experiencing Lower Back Pain When Running? Here’s What You Need to Know About Lower Back Pain

Running is one of the most satisfying and demanding sports. It is also one of the most damaging, particularly to the lower back. Because of this, it is essential to understand the critical causes of lower back pain in runners and how to avoid them. The bulk of lower back discomfort associated with running is caused by lumbar exhaustion. This happens when the muscles and ligaments of the spine become overworked or damaged. This leads them to spasm, putting pressure on the spinal discs.

If you routinely run, you are aware that the impact of your feet on the pavement is a primary cause of sore, aching feet, knees, hips, and lower back discomfort. But were you aware that your posture may be to blame? The manner you handle yourself while running might lead to lower back discomfort and possibly degeneration in the future. On the other hand, injuries to the lower back can be caused by overuse, poor nutrition, and improper running technique, leading to more back issues.

Everything a runner needs to know about lower back discomfort may be divided into four categories. Identifying symptoms, knowledge of causes, remedies, and prevention are essential for runners. Don’t let lower back pain hinder you from enjoying a morning run; you may understand these with the help of experts from spine and pain center Columbia md, or continue reading to find out more about avoiding and treating running-related back discomfort.

Numerous runners suffer from back pain, notably lower back discomfort, due to the constant stress and strain running places on the body over an extended period.

Don’t allow morning lower back discomfort to prevent you from running. Continue reading to discover more about the prevention and management of back discomfort associated with running.

Identifying Lower Back Pain Symptoms

Muscle-related discomfort occurs on both sides of the lower spine region. According to specialists, you have it if you have spasms or pain on one side of your spine, especially when you twist or move. Bone-related discomfort manifests as a dull ache throughout the whole of the lower back. They explained that if you’re over 65, you’re likely having arthritic back discomfort, which occurs when your bones rub against one another due to the loss of cartilage between them. Discogenic discomfort is defined by pain that worsens with forwarding bending and, most crucially, radiates down the legs, explained one expert. If you suspect discogenic pain, specialists encourage you to contact a physician immediately.

Frequent Causes of Lower Back Pain

Back pain can result from accidents, ailments, and diseases. They consist of:

Pulls and Strains:

Strains and sprains of the back are the leading causes of back pain. You can hurt your muscles, tendons, and ligaments if you lift anything too heavily or improperly. Some individuals strain their backs when they sneeze, cough, twist, or lean over.

The vertebral bones might fracture in an accident, such as a vehicle crash or a fall—certain disorders, such as spondylolysis or osteoporosis, increase fracture risk.

Disk problems

Cushions protect the vertebrae (small spinal bones). Disks can protrude from their place in the spine and cause nerve compression. They can rip as well (herniated disc). Age can cause disks to become flatter and less protective (degenerative disc disease).

Spine Structure:

Spinal stenosis is a structural disorder when the spinal column is too thin for the spinal cord. When the spinal cord is pressed, it can cause pain in the sciatic nerve and lower back. Scoliosis (spinal curvature) can cause discomfort, stiffness, and trouble moving.

Arthritis:

Osteoarthritis is a typical kind of arthritis that causes lower back discomfort.

Spondylolisthesis

Ankylosing spondylitis results in lower back discomfort, inflammation, and spinal rigidity. Spondylolisthesis is a disorder characterized by vertebral slippage. It causes low back and frequent leg discomfort.

Other Ailments:

Back discomfort can be caused by spinal tumors, infections, and numerous forms of cancer. There are more causes of back discomfort. Among them are kidney stones and abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Treatment of Low Back Pain

As many as the causes and symptoms of lower back pain are, there are an equal number of therapies. Before starting treatments like pills or epidural injections that are more invasive, you may want to look into less invasive options.

If you have pain in your lower back that doesn’t go away, you might want to make it a habit to stretch every day. There are many exercises for lower back pain, and when done right, stretching can help relieve inflammation and stiffness in the muscles. A skilled massage therapist may also use manual manipulation to alleviate back pain and increase your range of motion.

Acute back pain improves on its own after six weeks. Acute back pain is treated with analgesics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines, and muscle relaxants.

Gels, patches, sprays, and ointments used locally also give relief. Alternating between heat and cold is good and reduces inflammation. For acute lower back discomfort, gentle stretching is suggested. Exercising vigorously or carrying heavy weights will exacerbate acute pain. A surgical procedure is not advised for acute distress.

Chronic pain is treated differently depending on the underlying illness. Infinite Health sports physio and acupuncture provide alleviation and pain relief. If non-surgical treatment is ineffective, physicians recommend surgery.

All spine procedures have a high success rate because they use modern technology and are done in a way that causes the least amount of damage.

Running without Lower Back Pain

Everyone knows that working out can cause aches and pains, but lower back pain is not a natural result of working out. You might be able to avoid the most common causes of lower back pain when you exercise. Incorrect posture is one of the most frequent causes of lower back discomfort. 

Your spine comprises several separate bones known as vertebrae (spinal bones). When your back is straight, the vertebrae are stacked on top of each other and cushioned by connective tissues. But bad posture can cause the vertebrae to rub against each other, which can cause pain and swell in the back. 

While running is a terrific way to get in shape, it can also cause various lower back issues. If you take a few precautions and stretch, you can avoid lower back pain and enjoy your workouts more.

In Summary

By maintaining a healthy spine, you can avoid lower back discomfort. Having healthy eating habits, good posture, the right shoes as well as the proper shoe inserts, regular exercise, a good mattress, a pillow while sleeping, and not being too sedentary are great ways to avoid pain.

Developing a good running foundation and allowing your body to adjust to the stress running causes on the back helps reduce your chance of back injury. Resistance exercise is essential for avoiding lower back problems. 

According to specialists, the importance of strong muscles, strong core muscles, and a robust kinetic chain cannot be overstated. These muscles are placed on both sides of your spine and work to support it, so having a solid core is exceptionally vital. Mountain climbers and planks are two of the most effective workouts for strengthening muscles and preventing lower back problems, according to specialists. In many instances, yoga and physical therapy are also beneficial.