Lower back pain is a frustrating and all too common issue amongst runners. If you’ve been dealing with some discomfort in your back during your runs, you’re not alone, and thankfully it’s probably possible to fix this problem at home without any expensive trips to the doctor’s office! Today we’ll explain what causes lower back pain when running and show you a few simple exercises that can help you fix it.
What causes lower back pain when running?
Don’t worry, running is not “bad for your back.” Running consistently has been shown to INCREASE spinal disc health (study), and runners have lower rates of lower back pain than most athletes AND the population at large (study). If you’ve been dealing with some lower back pain from running, it’s totally normal to get stressed about it, but it’s most likely not a cause for alarm.
At Recover, we talk about injuries in terms of the biopsychosocial model. This just means that pain shows up (and injuries occur) because of a combination of physical (bio), emotional (psycho), and environmental (social) factors. Odds are some combination of training (mileage, pace, and workouts) and other life events (like work deadlines or emotionally preparing for a big race) has the muscles in your lower back sending pain signals to the brain. This does not mean you have damaged your back. It just means your back is a little overwhelmed.
How to fix lower back pain when running
The best way to fix lower back pain is to gradually increase the strength of the muscles in our back. Working the muscles through a few sets of resistance exercise often makes them feel better in the short term and will make them stronger in the long term. When you make a muscle stronger, it’s less likely that training (mileage, pace, hills, workouts) will overwhelm its tolerance. That then makes it less likely the muscle will send pain signals to the brain.
A simple place to start is to perform these 3 exercises, 3 times per week. A study recently compared outcomes in runners with chronic lower back pain and found that focusing on traditional “leg” exercises lead to better pain reductions in short and long term follow ups than just traditional back exercises.
The best exercises for lower back pain when running
Exercise 1 – Goblet Squats
Why it works: squats are extremely effective in loading the muscles of the lower back. They have to contract to keep your trunk upright as you squat down. That load can make the muscles feel better in the short term and will make them stronger in the long term. Squats with barbells are also a fantastic way to load and strengthen the muscle of the back, glutes, and legs. Squats fix everything.
Exercise 2 – RDL with Dumbbells
Why it works: Romanian deadlifts work the hamstring, glutes, and, you guessed it, the lower back. Don’t get overly fixated on your form, but keeping the lower back flat should increase the muscle activity which should make them get stronger faster.
Exercise 3 – Bird Dogs + Light Walking
Why it works: This exercise is a nice way to work the muscles of the lower back, upper back, and glutes. It can also help us build that mind-muscle connection that makes us feel comfortable when running. If our lower back hurts, it’s natural to want to stop moving but sometimes the best thing is to do some easy exercises and a light walk! Research suggests this is a great first step (study).
You can try these exercises, and even build a custom, lower back focused prehab routine in the Recover Athletics app. The Recover App helps runners fix aches and pains and prevent injury. A year’s subscription costs less than one trip to physical therapist and we have an unlimited free trial. Give the app a try today!