Weak / tight hamstrings can also cause lower back pain while running. You might try a little dynamic stretching to loosen them up (flat on back, towel or something around foot, lift up on leg. Release. Repeat). If it’s weakness, well I imagine you know the solution to that.
Do NOT do back extensions. Almost all low back pain is associated, at least to some degree, with muscle spasm. Extensions will worsen these spasms and cause a lot of pain in and of themselves. Obviously, every person who has responded so far is just guessing about the cause of your pain without evaluating your form and physical condition.
So, what the heck, I’ll throw a guess out there too! If you’re going to take a stab in the dark, I would agree with one of the previous posts and look at arch support. It’s a really easy and inexpensive thing to “guess” with. Buy an inexpensive pair of arch supports and try them. They may not last a long time, but it will let you know if you’re on the right track.
[quote]Dr J wrote:
Do NOT do back extensions. Almost all low back pain is associated, at least to some degree, with muscle spasm. Extensions will worsen these spasms and cause a lot of pain in and of themselves. Obviously, every person who has responded so far is just guessing about the cause of your pain without evaluating your form and physical condition. [/quote]
Um, “Jein”.
Back extensions should be a hamstring only exercise. You do not move from the hips up but should be training your back to stay in isometric lockdown so the load goes to the hamstrings.
That said, most everyone I see does them wrong and screws up their back. Matter of fact, I used to be in this boat too for a long time since I was told by some well-meaning soul (a Physio-therapist, if I recall correctly) so I dutifully did them and always had back pain. When I stopped the pain went away and I eventually figured out why. Now they are one of the most important single exercises I do. So that begs the question:If an exercise is great but pretty much everyone does it wrong, should we suggest it?
Same thing with single-legged deadlifts. I can do these with no problem at all even if I have back pain… Matter of fact, they actually help since the hamstrings get more activated and I tend to use them more.
Of course we all know my mommy was right when she told me how special I am…
– jj
So that begs the question:If an exercise is great but pretty much everyone does it wrong, should we suggest it?
Deep philosophical question.
Almost now lower back pain after yesterdays run…
I suspect its the new shoes, trying to strike mid food and also making a conscious effort to relax the lower back a little.
I did feel some creeping on however - it feels like a lot of abdominal fat combined with a mobility issue is pulling my back into an unnatural curve. I usually get a muscle pain in the lower back (usually one sided) and pain in the spine itself the day after.
I need to up the mobility work methinks.
Dealt with similar problems myself, especially pain around the SI joint. Google Defranco’s Agile 8. It’ll fix you up
Another factor that often causes lower back discomfort in new runners is anterior pelvic tilt. You’ve already mentioned that you most likely have tight hip flexors which are often a route cause of this. I would suggest focusing on keeping your pelvis perpendicular to the running surface and tightening lower abdominal muscles during your run. Or, as a very dedicated ultra marathon runner put it, make sure that your favorite appendage is always leading the way while running. This will also help correct gait issues as it is difficult to over-stride while focusing on pelvic stability.
For people with LBP S/I joints account for 20% of pain, Z-joints are about 20% as well, and the leading cause that is currently proven has been internal disc derangement (IDD) which was found to be 39%. That only accounts for 70% of people with low back pain, for the rest the mechanism is unknown. The questions you need to answer are: 1) where is the pain coming from? 2)what can you do to resolve it?
You mentioned muscle pain in your lower back on one side… odds are that is merely a symptom (By all means treat the symptoms). The spasm is in response to another malfunction. You should actually get seen and checked… the possibilities are numerous. It could be your feet, knees, hips, S/I, muscle imbalance, poor biomechanics, or the problem could actually be in your lower back.
A step in the right direction would be to upload a video of your gait from 2 angles for at least 2 gait cycles.
Also, what does the wear pattern in your shoes look like? But that would be better answered by a podiatrist.