Low Back Pain For Runners
Understanding Low Back Pain in Runners
Over the last 4 years running rehab has been a big focus of our team at The Movement with almost all of our clinicians actively running on a daily basis. We have learned a thing or two about running and rehab. In our blog today we want to cover low back pain and how we approach it with our running clients. Let’s dive in.
How Common Is Low Back Pain in Runners?
Low back pain is a common complaint among runners we see at The Movement, affecting both beginners and experienced athletes. While running primarily engages the legs, the lower back and core play a crucial role in stability and movement, making them more exposed to load and potential injury.
How Does Low Back Pain Occur?
There are many factors that contribute to low back pain in runners. However, what we most commonly see is that the load placed on their back while running has exceeded the load capacity of the tissue in the area, resulting in pain and discomfort. This is a common cause of most injuries and is demonstrated well in the picture below.
What Could Contribute to Low Back Pain While Running?
Overtraining / Ramp in Volume
This is usually the first place we look with our runners. A common theme we see is that they often start off doing too much, too fast. A big spike in running volume when the tissue in the lower back is not ready to handle it can result in exceeding the tissue’s capacity for load, leading to pain.
Lack of Recovery
Along with a big ramp in volume, we often see a lack of focus on recovery between runs. Some of the key areas we have our runners focus on for recovery include:
Sleep
Nutrition
Mobility
People often overcomplicate the recovery process with fancy gadgets and tricks while ignoring the fundamental factors of sleep, nutrition, and proper mobility drills. Implementing proper recovery between runs allows the tissue in the lower back to recover and be ready for the next session.
Although we aren’t professional athletes, we need to start focusing on recovering like an athlete to reduce our chances of injury.
Lack of Resilience in Low Back Muscles
As mentioned earlier, most injuries, including low back pain, occur when the load placed upon the tissue exceeds the load capacity of that tissue. If muscles such as your lower back, core, glutes, and hamstrings are not prepared to take on the demands of running, there is a higher likelihood of developing pain in those areas.
Worn-Down Running Shoes
Although this is a smaller contributor to most of our runners' low back pain, it is a factor we consider when helping reduce pain. If your shoes have exceeded 500-800km of mileage, they probably aren't providing the support you need.
How to Improve Low Back Pain from Running
Adjust Your Training Load
This is a simple fix and often the first area we address with runners experiencing low back pain. Often, when we help them manage their running load better, we start to see a reduction in pain symptoms. We look at training volume in three ways:
Frequency
Duration
Intensity
Many people run too long (duration), too fast (intensity), and do not have enough runs in their week (frequency). Managing these three areas can go a long way in reducing low back pain.
Build Low Back Resilience
This is one of our favourite areas to help our runners improve. We get to help them strengthen their lower back and legs. We like to say strength training and running go together like PB & J.
Here are some of our favourite ways to build low back resilience:
This is just a short list of a few favourites, but there are plenty of exercises you can implement to improve your strength as a runner. That’s why we created our 8-week strength training plan for runners—check it out for free!
New Shoes
If your shoes are worn down and you are exceeding 500-800km of mileage on them, it's probably time to start considering a new pair. New shoes will help distribute the loads of running more evenly through your body, reducing strain on your back.
Also, who doesn't love new shoes?
Other Considerations to Prevent Low Back Pain
Warm-Up and Cool Down Properly
Warming up and cooling down before and after your runs may not be the most exciting part of training, but they can be incredibly helpful in preparing your tissues for running and starting the recovery process.
For the warm-up, we recommend starting with a 5-10 minute walk to get your heart rate up, followed by dynamic stretches that prepare the lower back, glutes, hamstrings, and calves for running. If you need a quick reference, check out our short YouTube video highlighting a dynamic warm-up for runners.
For the cool-down, we recommend a 5-10 minute walk, followed by static stretches to loosen up the lower back and leg muscles. These are more of the classic stretches you probably remember from gym class.
Consider Physiotherapy for a Personalized Plan
At The Movement, we don’t just help people who are injured—we also work with clients looking to optimize their performance. We call this prehab! When getting into running or preparing for a race, we can take you through a full movement and strength assessment to identify any areas of opportunity and prepare your body for the demands of running. If you're interested, fill out the form below to get started.
Final Thoughts
Lower back pain while running is common, but it doesn’t have to be something you just live with. By properly managing your training load, focusing on recovery, strengthening key muscle groups, and ensuring your running shoes are in good condition, you can significantly reduce your risk of pain. Warming up and cooling down properly and considering professional guidance from a physiotherapist can also be game-changers in keeping you running strong and pain-free.
Remember—small adjustments can lead to big improvements. Take care of your body, and it will take care of you on your runs!
