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Original poster

Why is my lower back hurting after a short run?

29 replies

Ferrousfumerate1 · 03/01/2018 18:46

Hi all, Happy New Year

I do HITT classes a lot, think i'm quite fit, but have recently returned to running (haven't really run for 18 months or so, except short sprints)

My lower back seems to hurt after running. It's sore now. Slightly stiff.

Is it my technique? What can I do?

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 03/01/2018 18:48

Do you have good trainers and a good bra?
Have you had children in the last few years? I had that and turned out my stomach muscles hadn't knitted together again after labour and I had a weak core.

ConversationCoat · 03/01/2018 18:50

Hi! I’ve been going to physio on and off for nearly two years with dodgy hips and now lower back pain. I would really recommend seeing someone. In my case, it’s been due to having weak glutes and tight hip flexors (as a result of not using glutes properly).
At times I’ve been a bit miserable, feeling like I will never be able to run again but with a recent change of physio who is more into Pilates things are improving

Original poster
Ferrousfumerate1 · 03/01/2018 19:06

I have got weak glutes, but I thought they'd improved. And probably tight hip flexors, to be honest. I'll see a physio. Good idea, thanks

OP posts:
VivaLeBeaver · 03/01/2018 19:09

I get this, badly. Physio says weak glutes....or unactivated glutes anyway.

VivaLeBeaver · 03/01/2018 19:09

So now before running I spend ten mins doing glute activation to fire them up. Still not right, but better.

Original poster
Ferrousfumerate1 · 03/01/2018 21:09

Viva, what do you do to activate glutes before running?

OP posts:
VivaLeBeaver · 03/01/2018 21:36

Glute bridges, clam shells, if the gym is quiet and I’m not bothered about looking like a twat I might tie my ankles together with one of those stretchy bands and do side steps (rarely do this but physio says I should),

careful low step ups.....you need to make sure you don’t press off with the lower leg, you kind of gradually have to get all your weight on the leg which is stepping up without pushing off.

VivaLeBeaver · 03/01/2018 21:39

Anything here would be good. here

If I don’t wake my glutes up first they don’t work (so physio says) as other stronger muscles (forget which) take over more. But if I activate them they will get used to working and then become stronger and it becomes less of an issue. My pain was one sided, very low down, kind of in my pelvis/SI joint.

Original poster
Ferrousfumerate1 · 04/01/2018 06:40

That's a great link, Viva, so thanks very much. I need to do this.

OP posts:
Mondrian · 04/01/2018 06:50

Leg length imbalance could also cause back ache. In my case it only flared up in my thirties but never had a problem with my back before even though I did a lot of sports. Custom insoles fixed the issue.

Technique is also important, landing on your heel puts a lots of stress on spine, lots of videos on net.

carrie74 · 04/01/2018 08:57

I was getting a bit of back pain and good stretches afterwards have really helped: the best for me is lying on my back with my arms stretched to sides, knees tucked up at 90 degrees to body, then letting the knees fall to one side(keep shoulders on floor and look opposite direction to knees), and repeat on both sides several timed. Nice lower back stretch. Also child pose, and cat-cows (if you know any yoga).

lljkk · 04/01/2018 20:41

"inactivated" sounds ridiculous... just plain unfit muscles I can believe.

Do the exercises on your off days & keep to shorter distances to build the muscles up would be my strategy.

Original poster
Ferrousfumerate1 · 04/01/2018 20:52

Ljkk, I don't think my muscles are unfit. I am fit. I think I have weak glutes and they don't fire up/get activated enough

OP posts:
lljkk · 04/01/2018 21:42

weak glutes from not being used much for a while; other than targetted exercises, glutes are only used when running. It's the special running muscles of human beings.

Rest of you could easily be fit, but not the glutes.

You said "haven't really run for 18 months or so"

Cloudsarebright · 04/01/2018 21:43

Are you drinking enough? I used to get kidney pains

Original poster
Ferrousfumerate1 · 05/01/2018 08:32

Ah, ok, thanks lljkk

OP posts:
Original poster
Ferrousfumerate1 · 05/01/2018 08:33

What sort of distances, lljkk, would you keep to?

OP posts:
lljkk · 05/01/2018 19:46

15-20 minutes? 3x a week? Which is a mile and a half (for me). Just build into it for a few weeks.

It seems like we get injuries more easily as we get older, so have to be kinder to our bodies about not just leaping into exercise.

Original poster
Ferrousfumerate1 · 05/01/2018 21:11

I have to get myself ready for a 5K 2 months from now

OP posts:
lljkk · 05/01/2018 22:15

Few = 2 or 3. 2 months means You'd have another 5 weeks of building up to a good 5k time.

lasttimeround · 06/01/2018 12:58

Just bookmarking this thread as the glute activation link is excellent. I'm also slowly and carefully easing back into running

lljkk · 06/01/2018 14:16

ha! I'm reading/learning that "activation" = stretching. Even though it sounded like praying to the Shreeva Goddess to charm the Muscle spirits into being nice. "Activation" is what we used to call "warming up." Mind, DS was told recently by fitness instructors that all pre-exercise stretching was a complete waste of time and even harmful.

I tend to feel bad during exercise if I don't stretch first, so stretch I do.

Original poster
Ferrousfumerate1 · 06/01/2018 16:58

I just saw an osteopath. He didn't call it stretching, he called it strengthening/activating glutes. He confirmed what's going on. He was great, though. Onwards

OP posts:
VivaLeBeaver · 06/01/2018 17:15

Did the osteopath recommend similar exercises before running?

sillysausage16 · 06/01/2018 17:26

@VivaLeBeaver you've just described my lower back pain to a tee. Mine is right sided and deep so that I sometimes feel it at the front aswell. Did you experience referred pain to any other place? My physio says mine is all referred, due to working in a preschool and the low furniture, picking children up etc