Why Does My Back Hurt When I Run?
There are several reasons why your back may hurt once finishing up a run. The challenge is to pinpoint the problem in the whole spectrum of potential culprits since back pain can be so mysterious, despite being so prevalent. Running is great, but this fun and inexpensive activity does need some information, training and preparation before your feet ever hit the pavement.
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Core Strengthening
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Your core is such an important part of running since it houses a great deal of large muscles along with your heart; all of which are doing a lot of work to keep you moving and propelling forward. Padding your core, especially your back and abdominals with muscle is a great way to avoid pain.
Spinal Alignment
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You want to keep your abdominals in a linear position, meaning that you don't want to have too much inward curve to your lower spine. Try to run with relaxed arms and shoulders while stretching your torso to its full length and keep your back straight.
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Shoes
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If you are a runner, the first thing you have to accept is that you must be kind to your feet. It is in no way a splurge to buy new running shoes; it is a requirement and an investment in your future health. The breakdown of the insole usually occurs after about 500 miles of running.
Stretching
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Sometimes in exercise, we forget a key factor to success, which is stretching. We hold a lot of tension in our backs when we run, and one way to release that is through proper stretching.
Rest and Recovery
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Sometimes the problem may be as simple as overtraining. Maybe you have increased your mileage too quickly or have run too many days in a row, not giving your body a chance to recover. Sometimes you have a muscle strain; again, this is the time to give your body the time to mend that it needs.
Doctor Visit
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If you have tried everything else, you may have to enlist the help of a doctor to help unveil the mystery. Determining the problem as soon as possible is always the best course.
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References
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- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Celso FLORES
