Running - Back pain

Hi all GB trainers!

I've finally come across why (probably) I've got a crashing ache / stiffness at the back end. This after I was completely symptom free when I had a break with running. I have had a dull ache since 2012 when I started with running hard intervals and spent much of my strangetraining on heavy lifting. I think I gradually gained shorter and shorter muscularity and thus pain in my back.

Before recently (Since I started with my GB training) I have never exercised mobility or stretching.

What to do!? I do not want to be without my running. I have stopped doing hard intervals så my training accept my GB training is a few walks of about 1h/week and 3-4 calm runs between 3-10km/week. But the pain and stiffness is there!

Someone who can give me a second opinion?

/Joakim

hi Joakim, running and sprinting have the big problems of creating short muscles and tight tissue in all the posterior chain plus some muscled of the anterior (like quads) plus some muscles which move from back to front (like psoas).

Depending on your tightness you need to restore your posture, lower back pain is usually associated with bad posture and it perfectly coupled with the muscles that shorten in the running activity.

said that, the front split course should be the primary goal.

9 hours ago, Alessandro Mainente said:

hi Joakim, running and sprinting have the big problems of creating short muscles and tight tissue in all the posterior chain plus some muscled of the anterior (like quads) plus some muscles which move from back to front (like psoas).

Depending on your tightness you need to restore your posture, lower back pain is usually associated with bad posture and it perfectly coupled with the muscles that shorten in the running activity.

said that, the front split course should be the primary goal.

Tanx for your answer! I’m stiff like a log and have bad posture! But I’m aware of that and work is in progress! I also have all the stretches! 

How should I aprotch this problem? Should I quit running!? Could it be replaced?

I have only been using the GB stretch serious for about a year, so I am definitely not an expert, but I can tell you from my experience that this series has helped my mobility tremendously because I am also stiff. Like you I enjoy running, and I have learned that modern running shoes are heavily cushioned and allow runners to heel strike rather than landing on the forefoot. You may want to pay attention to your form next time you run to ensure you are running with good form. Running barefoot will force you to change your form if you notice you are heel striking. There are also minimalist running shoes that do not have an elevated heel or excessive cushion if you do not want to run barefoot. I definitely recommend researching barefoot running if you would like to continue running and also the GB stretch serious for tightness.

15 hours ago, Joakim Wikman said:

Tanx for your answer! I’m stiff like a log and have bad posture! But I’m aware of that and work is in progress! I also have all the stretches! 

 

How should I aprotch this problem? Should I quit running!? Could it be replaced?

You should fo the front split once a week. Then after your running take (from the front split course)

-one exercise for calves

-one for hamstring

-one for hips flexor

and do them respectively in this order: calves, hips flexor and last hamstring.

15 hours ago, Devon O'Neal said:

I have only been using the GB stretch serious for about a year, so I am definitely not an expert, but I can tell you from my experience that this series has helped my mobility tremendously because I am also stiff. Like you I enjoy running, and I have learned that modern running shoes are heavily cushioned and allow runners to heel strike rather than landing on the forefoot. You may want to pay attention to your form next time you run to ensure you are running with good form. Running barefoot will force you to change your form if you notice you are heel striking. There are also minimalist running shoes that do not have an elevated heel or excessive cushion if you do not want to run barefoot. I definitely recommend researching barefoot running if you would like to continue running and also the GB stretch serious for tightness.

Ah, I have actually for a couple years ago read 2010 done a couple of km in barefoot running. But as usual I was to stress about the km that I couldn’t get the rangefinder running quickly so I stopped and went back to normal shoes  But I always walk in my FiveFingers in the summers. 

What is your recommendation about starting distance!? 

/Joakim 

10 hours ago, Alessandro Mainente said:

You should fo the front split once a week. Then after your running take (from the front split course)

-one exercise for calves

-one for hamstring

-one for hips flexor

and do them respectively in this order: calves, hips flexor and last hamstring.

Hi! Ok, tanx  for the tip! Why not the front of the leg!? 

I do not understand your question.

You said hips flexor is that the same as front of the leg aka quads??

Can I also suggest the piriformis stretch from the Middle Splits series? I also run, distances up to marathon, and have a tight lower back. I have found that this stretch really helps ease it after a long run. 

In the second picture down here: https://www.gymnasticbodies.com/lunch-break-3-hip-stretches-win-day/ 

It's the one on the right that Orench is doing.

20 hours ago, Joakim Wikman said:

You said hips flexor is that the same as front of the leg aka quads??

hips flexor is a general term and it comprises more muscles, the hips extension (like the position of the back leg on front split) acts to stretch the hips flexor.

On 3/25/2018 at 3:48 AM, Joakim Wikman said:

Ah, I have actually for a couple years ago read 2010 done a couple of km in barefoot running. But as usual I was to stress about the km that I couldn’t get the rangefinder running quickly so I stopped and went back to normal shoes  But I always walk in my FiveFingers in the summers. 

What is your recommendation about starting distance!? 

 

/Joakim 

This is an article that I think is a good way to start. https://xeroshoes.com/sandals-barefoot/how-not-to-start-barefoot-running/ It suggests to start with shorter distances, then wait a day and see how you feel, and build up from there. Take your time and listen to your body, and give your feet time to strengthen. 

Just so you have a good visual. The image on the left are inside your stomach. The illiacus and psoas or illiopsoas and the thin, long muscle in the image to the right is the Sartorius. Those comprise your hip flexors. Sartorius main function is lifting the leg up, while the two in the left image bring the front of your hips up towards your spine. Together they assist hip flexion or compression strength. Seeing how the hip flexors also feed into the spine will tell you why you could experience backpain if they get tight, because they literally pull your spine down towards the front of your hips. You want to stretch everything, but stretching or really just relaxing those muscles will give you a huge sense of relief. Because when those relax your hamstrings relax as well, because the tension is let off of them. I know when I used to run a ton, stretching was a daily endeavor. Most relief always came from relaxing the illiacus/psoas and, glute medius and hamstrings.