Jogging Seems to Bother My Lower Back— Should I stop?
If running seems to create pain in your lower back it’s most likely caused by muscles rather than your spine. In many cases, the issue is tight hamstrings, core muscles, glutes or hip flexors. Tightness in these areas can affect body alignment and mechanics, causing the muscles in the back to over extend themselves and over compensate.
However, it is also possible that the pain you experience during or after running is spine related, and you should discontinue running until you have talked to your physician.
If it’s a muscle issue, what can I do?
There are several strategies to employ, including doing more stretching and strength training. A skilled sports massage therapist may also be of assistance in loosening up pain points.
In some cases, poor posture and form when running leads to back pain. Keep in mind as well that dehydration can cause muscle spasms that might be felt in the lower back. Finally, sometimes the issue is overuse. If you try to run too much, without giving your body enough time to recover, this can cause back pain.
It may also be time to buy new running shoes.
But what if it’s an issue with the spine?
When you experience lower back pain from running, this can be because of structural problems in the lower back, caused by a herniated disc or degenerative disc disease.
Generally, lower back pains that are the result of a muscle strain will get better within two to three weeks. When the pain goes on for longer than this, it’s time to seek out an expert’s help.
Keep in mind that spinal discs, as we age, can experience excessive wear and tear. This is what we term degenerative disc disease. Since the back’s discs absorb the impacts of running, when the discs get weak, this can lead to pain after a run.
A herniated disc, often called a ruptured or slipped disc, happens as a result of the inner section of a disc between the vertebrae starting to push through the outer ring.
Again, if you have back pain after running that persists, get yourself checked out. There are many options for providing you with relief.
