Lower Back Pain When Running

Running is one of the world’s most popular forms of exercise – nearly 50 million Americans participated in running and jogging in 2021 alone! It offers numerous benefits, from a powerful endorphin rush to weight loss to cardiovascular health and more. But, running is also a high-impact form of exercise that can lead to lower back pain. 

Read on to learn more about lower back pain when running and what you can do to prevent it. 

Does Running Strengthen the Lower Back?

Running can strengthen the lower back by strengthening the lower back and core muscles and improving intervertebral disc hydration. 

A 2017 study found that long-distance runners and joggers show evidence of superior intervertebral disc hydration in the lumbar spine compared to non-runners. This study also showed that runners have better glycosaminoglycan content than non-runners. Glycosaminoglycans are compounds that play an essential role in cell growth regulation and wound repair, primarily in connective tissue. 

Why Does My Lower Back Hurt When I Run?

Your lower back may hurt when you run because of excessive stress on the lumbar spine, strained back muscles, or a muscular imbalance. 

Stress of the Spinal Structures

Running repeatedly strains the spinal structures, including the vertebrae and intervertebral discs. The discs serve as shock absorbers, helping to protect the vertebrae from damage. But, with ongoing impact from running, these discs can become thinner, weaker, and drier, creating the risk of a herniated disc or degenerative disc disease. 

  • Herniated disc occurs when an intervertebral disc breaks down. A crack develops in the disc exterior, and the soft interior presses out into the spinal canal. This often happens when the disc becomes drier and weaker with age, but can also result from repeated impact from activities like running. 
  • Degenerative disc disease refers to pain from degenerated spinal discs. It tends to occur in older adults as a result of age-related wear and tear, but runners can develop the condition earlier in life from repeated impact on the spine. 

Strained Back Muscles

Oftentimes, lower back pain while running is from strained back muscles. When a back muscle is strained, it means that the muscle has stretched too far and torn. Running repeatedly places a high amount of impact on the back muscles, creating the risk of a strain. 

Symptoms of a back muscle strain include:

  • Lower back pain that tends to get worse with movement
  • Back spasms
  • Tenderness in the affected back muscle
  • Back stiffness and a reduced range of motion

While all runners are at risk of developing strained back muscles, the following factors can further elevate your risk:

  • Poor form while running, like looking down
  • Increasing the intensity of your runs too quickly
  • Running up and down hills
  • Insufficient recovery time
  • Weak core and back muscles

Muscular Imbalances

Muscular imbalances are common in runners. They occur when certain muscles become stronger than others, leading to imbalanced forces on the spine. Muscle imbalances can also cause your body to compensate when you’re running, leading to excessive impact on some body parts and weakness in other parts.

Symptoms of a muscular imbalance include:

  • Back pain
  • Back stiffness
  • Poor posture
  • Persistent soreness after exercising
  • Muscle tightness
  • Recurrent injuries
  • A noticeable difference in the mobility, strength, or balance on one side of your body

You can prevent muscular imbalances as a runner by:

  • Maintaining good form while you run by:
    • Looking straight out in front of you
    • Keeping your spine in proper alignment
    • Relaxing your shoulders
    • Keeping your hands relaxed at your waist
    • Landing your feet under you – not in front of you
  • Stretching after every run
  • Cross-training with other forms of exercise, like swimming and yoga
  • Incorporating strength training into your exercise regimen, paying particular attention to the core muscles
  • Training both sides of your body equally

Should You Avoid Running With Lower Back Pain?

You should avoid running if you have lower back pain, as it increases stress on the lumbar spine. 

Running can worsen lower back pain by placing repetitive impact on the spinal structures. This can exacerbate back pain and neurological symptoms (like numbness, tingling, and weakness).  

If you have lower back pain from a muscular issue (like a strained back muscle) rather than a spinal problem, take a break from running until the muscle heals. Repeated stress on your back from running can worsen muscle tightness and inflammation. 

What to Do About Lower Back Pain from Running

If you experience lower back pain from running, it may be possible to alleviate your pain with at-home remedies, including:

  • Taking a break from running and other strenuous physical activity until the pain improves
  • Heat and cold therapy to relax tight muscles and reduce inflammation
  • Gentle stretching
  • Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications for pain management

If your pain is from a mild condition, like a muscle strain, these remedies may be sufficient to resolve the pain within a few weeks. But, if your pain persists, reach out to a doctor for a physical evaluation. You may need professional care, like physical therapy, prescription medications, or even surgical intervention (for chronic spinal conditions) to fully alleviate your symptoms. 

Can I Run if I Pulled My Lower Back?

You shouldn’t run if you pulled your lower back. You should wait until your symptoms subside before running again. 

With that said, you shouldn’t just rest in bed until your pulled lower back heals. Gentle, low-impact movement and stretching can help you recover faster. Water aerobics, yoga, pilates, and short walks are all good options. 

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Back Pain When Running as a Symptom of More Serious Conditions

Back pain when running can be a symptom of more serious conditions, including a herniated disc, degenerative disc disease, spinal fracture, spinal stenosis, and spondylolisthesis.

Herniated Disc and Degenerative Disc Disease

As mentioned in a previous section, back pain when running can be caused by a herniated disc or degenerative disc disease. Running places a high amount of impact on the spinal discs, which absorb impact with movement. This can eventually lead to disc damage, which often causes chronic back pain. 

Conservative treatments for herniated discs and degenerative disc disease include physical therapy, pain medications, activity modifications, and home remedies, like heat/cold therapy. In severe cases, a procedure called discectomy may be required to remove the damaged disc and alleviate nerve compression. 

Spinal Fracture

Though relatively rare, running can cause vertebral compression fractures and spinal stress fractures. 

  • Vertebral compression fractures develop when a strong impact, like the impact from running, presses the vertebrae together, causing a vertebra to fracture. This can occur in young athletes, when strong forces are imparted on the spine as it’s still developing. However, it’s the most common in older adults with osteoporosis. 
  • Spinal stress fractures, as the name suggests, result from undue stress on the vertebrae. This may occur if you ramp up the intensity of your running too quickly, alter your way of running (like wearing different shoes), or run with poor form. 

Spinal Stenosis and Spondylolisthesis

Spinal stenosis and spondylolisthesis are prevalent spinal conditions that may occur in runners as a result of increased impact on the spine. Spinal stenosis develops when the spinal canal narrows, potentially causing spinal structures or bone spurs to press on nerves in the area. With spondylolisthesis, a vertebra slips out of position and falls onto the vertebra below. 

If you experience lower back pain when running that doesn’t go away with a few weeks of at-home care, it’s time to talk to a doctor. Don’t wait to receive expert care, as doing so could prolong your recovery process.