Low Back Pain When Running

One pattern we see fairly often is people developing low back pain when they combine strength training with running.

This is especially common in people doing CrossFit or other high intensity training programs where running is mixed with movements like squats, deadlifts, overhead presses, or Olympic lifts.

There are several reasons this can happen, so let’s talk through a few of the most common ones.

1. Tight Hip Flexors

One of the first things I look at is hip flexor mobility.

If your hip flexors are tight, they can pull the pelvis into an anterior tilt, which increases stress on the lumbar spine. They can also limit your ability to fully extend your hip while running.

When your hips cannot move the way they are supposed to, your low back often has to make up the difference.

Now imagine combining that with heavy back squats, deadlifts, or overhead presses. The cumulative stress on the low back can become more than your body is prepared to handle, resulting in pain or stiffness after your workout.

2. Weak Lumbar Extensors

Another common contributor is weakness in the muscles that support the spine.

The lumbar paraspinals and multifidus help stabilize the spine and allow it to tolerate repeated loading during running.

Many people train their abs regularly but spend very little time strengthening the muscles on the back side of the spine.

Running places repeated demands on these muscles with every step. If they fatigue too quickly, the low back may begin absorbing more stress than it should.

This is one reason we make sure our athletes can tolerate strength exercises in both spinal flexion and extension.

3. Poor Core Control

Sometimes the issue is not strength at all.

It is coordination.

If your core is not doing its job while you run, you may find yourself over-arching your low back, leaning your chest too far forward, or relying too heavily on your hip flexors and quadriceps to move you down the road.

Your abdominal muscles should help stabilize your spine with every stride.

When they are not contributing enough, your lumbar spine can become the area that absorbs the extra movement and stress.

Fortunately, this is something that can often be improved with a combination of core training, running mechanics, and movement retraining.

The Good News

Most cases of low back pain during running are very treatable once you identify the underlying cause.

Sometimes it is a mobility issue.

Sometimes it is a strength issue.

Sometimes it is simply a matter of improving movement quality.

Most of the time, it is a combination of all three.

I will include a video here demonstrating some of my favorite mobility drills and strengthening exercises that can help reduce low back pain while running.

If running is consistently making your back hurt, it may be worth having someone evaluate your movement so you can address the problem before it becomes something more serious.

If you’d like to learn more about back pain, I’d love to speak with you over a free phone consultation.

-Dr Kutsche