Struggling with Low Back Pain While Running? Here’s How to Find Relief
- Unity
- Aug 5
- 2 min read
Struggling with Low Back Pain While Running? Here’s How to Find Relief
If you experience low back pain while running, you're not alone. In the UK, approximately 1 in 5 adults run regularly, with about 19.4% of people running at least once a month Our Sporting Life. However, running injuries are common, and 80% of these injuries are related to overuse Marathon Handbook. Back pain is a frequent complaint among runners, with issues like extension intolerance and poor strength balance contributing to the discomfort.
Before you think about giving up running due to your lower back pain, read on. There are simple ways to address these issues and keep running pain-free.
What Is Extension Intolerance?
Though it may sound intimidating, extension intolerance is relatively easy to understand. It occurs when the tissues around the spine become sensitive and painful due to compression, particularly when the spine is in an extended position. The main culprit is often the facet joints, small joints between the vertebrae that, over time, can become irritated.
Strength Balance and Why It Matters
One of the leading causes of running-related back pain is a lack of strength balance between the muscles that flex and extend the spine. If your core muscles, particularly the abdominals, are weaker than your spinal extensors, your lower back may be pulled into a more extended position, leading to discomfort. By strengthening your core, you can help alleviate this imbalance. This doesn’t mean we want you to do lots of crunches and Russian twists to fix your back pain.
Functional exercises like unilateral carries—such as single-arm farmer carries and crawling movements—are effective ways to address this issue. These exercises maintain dynamic movement in your spine, making them particularly useful for runners.
The Role of Hip Flexor Mobility
When running, the back leg moves into a position of hip extension, putting tension on your hip flexors. Without sufficient hip flexor mobility, your lower back compensates, potentially exacerbating extension intolerance. However, stretching isn't always the best solution—weak hip flexors often contribute to this tightness, and strengthening them is key to relieving the pain.
Exercises like the Standing Psoas March or banded hip flexion can help improve hip flexor strength and mobility, reducing stress on your lower back during runs.
Ready to Run Pain-Free?
At Unity, we’ve helped countless individuals overcome pain and return to the activities they love. If you're one of the many runners experiencing discomfort—whether it's lower back pain, shin splints, or plantar fasciitis, which affects about 10% of regular runners Private healthcare | Bupa UK Marathon Handbook—there’s hope. Addressing strength imbalances and improving mobility can make a huge difference.
Take the first step toward pain-free running by booking a free consultation with one of our Unity Professionals today.
References:
Bupa UK, 2023. Common Running Injuries and How to Prevent Them. [online] Available at: https://www.bupa.co.uk/health-information [Accessed 21 October 2024].
Marathon Handbook, 2023. The 7 Most Common Running Injuries + How To Treat Them. [online] Available at: https://marathonhandbook.com/common-running-injuries/ [Accessed 21 October 2024].
Our Sporting Life, 2024. Running Statistics UK 2024. [online] Available at: https://www.oursportinglife.co.uk/running-statistics-uk/ [Accessed 21 October 2024]..
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