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Running with lower back pain (Read 96 times)

    So, after my long run yesterday, at the end of my stretching routine, I twisted my torso, and something in my lower back twinged. As long as I keep my back straight, the pain level is tolerable, but if I bend in the wrong direction, it's pretty intense.

     

    I'm not looking forward to breaking my running streak, but I'd much rather break the streak than injure myself worse, so I'm wondering - what is everyone's opinion/experience about running with lower back pain - did it help (as I've noticed it does for me with minor upper back pain), hurt, make no difference, ???

    2014 goals:

    1. Run a minimum of 1.5 miles every single day of the year

    2. Run 1500 miles in 2014

    3. Get my weekly mileage above 40

    4. Brown belt in Shaolin Kempo

    5. First Half (Oregon Wine Country HM?)

    6. PRs: Sub-21 5k, Sub-45 10k, Sub-45 Spartan Sprint, Sub 1:55 HM (Oregon Wine Country HM)

      Welcome to getting old. This comes and goes for me. Sometimes my lower back is really sore but it doesn't bother me when I run.

      Mr MattM


        My basic rule of thumb is that if I can run, I will, unless running makes it worse.  In that case, I don't run.

        be curious; not judgmental

          Welcome to getting old. This comes and goes for me. Sometimes my lower back is really sore but it doesn't bother me when I run.

           

          Joking

           

          Also, thanks. Wink

          2014 goals:

          1. Run a minimum of 1.5 miles every single day of the year

          2. Run 1500 miles in 2014

          3. Get my weekly mileage above 40

          4. Brown belt in Shaolin Kempo

          5. First Half (Oregon Wine Country HM?)

          6. PRs: Sub-21 5k, Sub-45 10k, Sub-45 Spartan Sprint, Sub 1:55 HM (Oregon Wine Country HM)

            My basic rule of thumb is that if I can run, I will, unless running makes it worse.  In that case, I don't run.

             

            Works for me. Assuming, of course, I can convince my wife to not try to restrict me to only prone activities...

            2014 goals:

            1. Run a minimum of 1.5 miles every single day of the year

            2. Run 1500 miles in 2014

            3. Get my weekly mileage above 40

            4. Brown belt in Shaolin Kempo

            5. First Half (Oregon Wine Country HM?)

            6. PRs: Sub-21 5k, Sub-45 10k, Sub-45 Spartan Sprint, Sub 1:55 HM (Oregon Wine Country HM)

              That's odd to me.  I know everyone is different though.

               

              I have had lower back pain for 10 years or so.  It happens when I stand for 45 minutes or so.

               

              However, I can run for three hours, and never get back pain.

              Jeff


              A Saucy Wench

                Warmup well.  Do some backbending work (cobra pose and the like)  before your run (MOST back problems are made worse by bending forward).  Run easy.  Avoid speed and hills.

                I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets

                 

                "When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7

                zonykel


                  Whatever you do, don't stretch your lower back to get rid of the stiffness or discomfort. You are likely to make it worse. I speak from experience. I ended up on the ground for 15 minutes, unable to move due to overstretching. Ended up with back spasms all night long. Dr. Gave me muscle relaxers the next day. Ended up not Running for months due to stiffness.

                    I am a minimalist, but I was watching this video where MIchael Arnstein says that he runs ultras with a back brace. Maybe one would benefit you? Here is the video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xj_890Gub-c

                      I've got a crappy back.  I've tried running with an SI brace on... it was ok.  Uncomfortable and tight but it worked pretty good.  Mostly I just go really slow when it's sore.  Of course I'm slow anyway but I go slower when my back is all jacked up.  Like other posters have said though, it's odd... I find that standing for long periods is awful, sitting can be awful, but for the most part running does not make it worse.  And I avoided running for nearly 2 years because of it.  Idiot.  Roll eyes  Also, yoga helps tremendously.  Some poses, that is.  Some make it worse but there are some really good poses out there for bad backs.  If you're into that sort of thing, you can look up gentle back yoga, and do that stuff.

                      Michelle


                      Loves the outdoors

                         

                        Works for me. Assuming, of course, I can convince my wife to not try to restrict me to only prone activities...

                         

                        Depending on the prone activity, this could become a lot of fun.

                        One day I decided I wanted to become a runner, so I did.

                          Thanks all for the input. I ran a slow, easy, short run (a whole 1.5 miles!) without any significant pain and followed it up with some very gentle stretching, and it at least didn't make anything worse, and seems to have possibly slightly decreased the pain in the area. I'll keep with the slow easy miles for a while until things get straightened back out, and work on my stretching and yoga.

                          2014 goals:

                          1. Run a minimum of 1.5 miles every single day of the year

                          2. Run 1500 miles in 2014

                          3. Get my weekly mileage above 40

                          4. Brown belt in Shaolin Kempo

                          5. First Half (Oregon Wine Country HM?)

                          6. PRs: Sub-21 5k, Sub-45 10k, Sub-45 Spartan Sprint, Sub 1:55 HM (Oregon Wine Country HM)