If you are like most people who are runners, then you probably are wondering how to prevent lower back pain when running. Your back is a complex structure of bones, ligaments, and muscles that support the spine. Because of this, it can be quite the enemy when you are out on the road. Runners often experience a variety of symptoms when their back is involved in an accident. This article will focus on a few tips to help keep your back healthy while running.
Chose the right shoes
It is the first thing you want to look at is your shoes. Most people make the mistake of wearing the wrong kind of shoe. I know I have made the same mistake. I was running for miles on a trail in the hills of East Tennessee one day when I tweaked my back. I immediately thought my shoes were not going to hold up to the terrain, so I pulled off of the trail and went to the emergency room of a local hospital. Luckily they diagnosed me with spondylosis, which is an early stage of arthritis caused by years of pulling my back in different ways.
Don’t take sharp turns
Another way to prevent lower back pain when running. When you take a sharp turn, your feet tend to pop out a bit. If you are going to be out on a long road trip, make sure that your feet are placed in the same direction each time you turn so that your body does not take any unexpected twists. I do this when I’m coming back from a race because I don’t want to deal with it on the plane.
Wear the right footwear
Of course, another thing that comes up when you are running is shin splints. This is a pain in the bottom of the foot. I fell while running one day, and it was a terrible pain. I could barely walk, and I limped around for a few hours before I felt better. Shin splints are very common among runners, but you need to make sure you are always wearing the proper footwear if you have them.
Crunches
Well, crunches are great for building your lower back, but they do nothing to help relieve the pain. They can make your situation even worse if you have shin splints. You need to make sure that you are doing exercises that strengthen your lower back muscles rather than crunches or other ab exercises.
Keep the right posture
This means that while running, your feet should be apart at a distance equal to the distance between your hip and your knee. The feet should be flat on the ground and not lifted. Also, your upper body should be parallel to the floor. Lastly, you should
contract your abdominal muscles when you are running.
Don’t stretch your back too much
You should make sure that you do not overextend your back. Stretching your back can result in strain, inflammation, and muscle pain. When you have been stretching your back, you may tend to pull a muscle or two. Aside from these, running can also result in a pulled back, which is not suitable for your body.
Don’t over-exert yourself
If you over-exert yourself when training, it could lead to injuries, such as sprains, strains, and even fractures. So, you have to know your limits. And above all, you have to be able to judge how much you can handle. Exhausting too much is not good. Thus, these tips on how to prevent lower back pain when running helps you a lot.
Your feet should always be placed flat on the ground
You have to make sure that they do not move sideways or move higher and lower than what the rule of thumb says. Do not make your spine stiff with too much rigidity in the ankles and the knees. And if you experience lower back pain when running, it is most probably because of injury to your back. So, if these methods cannot solve it, then you might have to consult a doctor for a more substantial treatment plan. You do not want to be stuck with something that is not very effective.
These are just some of the simple things that you have to do to be able to learn how to prevent lower back pain when running. These are essential since they will help you in becoming fit and healthy as fast as possible.
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