I have been runing 2~3 miles each night for the past few month and playing ~2hrs of basketball or tennis and now I'm experiencing lower back pain... Is this normal? Is there anything I can do to improve or reduce the pain?
Lower back pain...
- Thread starter Zuerst
- Start date
i think your lower back muscles arent as devoloped as your abs. my personal trainer told me that will happen if you neglect opposite muscles.like if you work out your abs work out you lower back too etc...
Are you running on cement? that could be hard on your low back too.
Be careful with running -- the discs in your back can compress; rubbing and causing pain. make sure you have good soft shoes or run on softer surfaces.
you should consider doing lower back exercises; i do no-impact stretches which help strengthen the back. a strong back never hurt anyone.
you should consider doing lower back exercises; i do no-impact stretches which help strengthen the back. a strong back never hurt anyone.
1. See a doctor
2. NsNex is right about the opposite muscles...but usually people get low back problems from weak ABS, not weak back muscles.....the back muscles usually get OVERWORKED because they alone are supporting you.(and you get swayback)
3. Try running with your abs tightened
2. NsNex is right about the opposite muscles...but usually people get low back problems from weak ABS, not weak back muscles.....the back muscles usually get OVERWORKED because they alone are supporting you.(and you get swayback)
3. Try running with your abs tightened
NsSeX said:
I have a similar problem, too. How do you develop your lower back muscles??
NSX/MR2
Suspended
Go see a Chiopractor; they will be able to fix you up with ease.
NSX/MR2 said:
My experience has been to pay a Chiropractor for multiple un-necessary visits and not see any difference. I had exactly the same problem and found relief in muscle therapy. Great guy here in the Tampa Bay area - he could fix you in 2 visits tops.
Your lower back muscles are trying to compensate for other muscles that are tight - most likely right around your pelvis.
Muscle therapy "forces" the tightened muscle to relax by applying pressure to it. I started this therapy when it was very crude - hand pressure, small hand tools for getting to deep muscles, etc... - painful but effective!
It has now evolved to robotics that do the work - this has taken the pain out of the process. Check out:
http://www.meilus.com/
I'm not the type to recommend too many people - this guy had made the cut! See if this type of therapy is available near you.
Buy the best shoes you can afford.
Consider massage therapy.
Do warm up exercises.
Consider a physical therapist.
Do simple abdominal exercises, not the typical sit ups.
The above comment about running with your abs tightened is a very good idea.
Lay flat with your back on the floor and try to flatten your stomach to your spine.
When sitting or standing, tighten your abs for 30-60 seconds at a time to improve the posture and strengthen the torso.
Lose weight.
Consider massage therapy.
Do warm up exercises.
Consider a physical therapist.
Do simple abdominal exercises, not the typical sit ups.
The above comment about running with your abs tightened is a very good idea.
Lay flat with your back on the floor and try to flatten your stomach to your spine.
When sitting or standing, tighten your abs for 30-60 seconds at a time to improve the posture and strengthen the torso.
Lose weight.
NsSeX said:
Usually, it is just the opposite. Most folks that develop muscular pain in their lower back are vicitims of weak abs. When your abdominal muscles are in shape, particularly your lower abdominal wall, they will support your lumbar back muscles in your body's efforts to balance and distribute lstress/loads properly.
However, with week abs, the lower back muscles are forced to pick up the slack..... which can overstress those mucsles. This will lead to injury at some point.
The lesson, take time to strengthen both your abs and lower back muscles. Your whole body will thank you.
I play basketball and tennis a lot (think serving works the abs pretty good), only stretch my legs before running and am starting to do some pushups and situps... The pain it not extreme, it is very bearable infact. It's just sore and is not apparent until I start running or doing more extreme exercise. Where can I look up stretch/workout routine to better strengthen my muscle?
Thanks,
Thanks,
i'm meeting my trainer tomorrow in the morning. i'll ask what a good workout/routine would be for strengthening abs and lower back and get back to you guys...
-paul
-paul
Back extension excercise will work out your lower back.
If you don't go work out at a gym (below)
http://bionicgroup.com/entertainment/cafe/thedeanteam/back.html
If you work out at a gym do this (below)
http://www.netfit.co.uk/bac7.htm
I just got back from doing the above and freaking a it works out your lower back. So if you do the above make sure you also do crunches as well.
Hope it helps ya guys
-paul
Oh yeah posture is very important too. Try not to slouch when you are sitting, standing and driving as well.
If you don't go work out at a gym (below)
http://bionicgroup.com/entertainment/cafe/thedeanteam/back.html
If you work out at a gym do this (below)
http://www.netfit.co.uk/bac7.htm
I just got back from doing the above and freaking a it works out your lower back. So if you do the above make sure you also do crunches as well.
Hope it helps ya guys
-paul
Oh yeah posture is very important too. Try not to slouch when you are sitting, standing and driving as well.
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NsSeX said:
Thanks, Paul, for the advice.
I think they are capable of doing some good things. But, when the first thing they examine upon your first visit is to see how many returning visits your insurance company will pay for, it says a lot, IMO, about where their real interest lies. I'm sure there are good and bad. Just sharing a personal experience I had.NSX/MR2 said:
Pretty speculative "diagnosis." Back pain can be caused by a lot of things. In my case it was due to lack of flexibility in my hamstrings. Strecthing was my cure.NsSeX said:
Well, I recommend stretching after your workout especially after running. If you don't stretch afterwards your muscles will tighten up too fast and cause pain or discomfort. I was a track runner before and learned from my mistakes. Hope that my tip will solve your problem.
Woops, didn't notice that the person above this post recommended stretching. My mistake.
Woops, didn't notice that the person above this post recommended stretching. My mistake.
I didn't mean to sound like a doctor or professional in making my "diagnosis." If i did well sorry? Anyways I believe somebody else suggested stretching earlier so was just adding my .02 cents about the back extension workout along with an abs work out.
By the way did the back extensions w/crunches help any? I was curious if it did you guys any good.
By the way did the back extensions w/crunches help any? I was curious if it did you guys any good.
I don't think a chiropractor can do anything that you cannot do for yourself. Don't waste your money or time. Have a physical therapist show you the proper techniques to stretch and strengthen your muscles/ligaments, you probably will do a lot better.NSX/MR2 said:
Steve
well, I guess I will finally put my 2 cents in.
1. The first thing u need to do is see a physician. why, b/c you nor the P.T. or the exercise trainer know your diagnosis. ONCE you have a diagnosis, THEN a rehab. regimen can be developed to help reverse the condition. You need to find out if its a muscle, a joint, or scoiliosis. You don't know that until you get a work up done by a qualified physician.
2. What kind of physician. Preferably, a PM&R(M.D) physician, or a D.C. with interest in sports medicine. Notice, I didn't recommend Orthopedic spine surgeons. They are trained on performing surgery, something you are probably not interested in at present.
Finally, I am a PM&R physician, 50-60% of my practice is the nonsurgical management of spine disorders. If you want, I can recommend spine specialists in Austin.
1. The first thing u need to do is see a physician. why, b/c you nor the P.T. or the exercise trainer know your diagnosis. ONCE you have a diagnosis, THEN a rehab. regimen can be developed to help reverse the condition. You need to find out if its a muscle, a joint, or scoiliosis. You don't know that until you get a work up done by a qualified physician.
2. What kind of physician. Preferably, a PM&R(M.D) physician, or a D.C. with interest in sports medicine. Notice, I didn't recommend Orthopedic spine surgeons. They are trained on performing surgery, something you are probably not interested in at present.
Finally, I am a PM&R physician, 50-60% of my practice is the nonsurgical management of spine disorders. If you want, I can recommend spine specialists in Austin.
Gene and others are absolutely right. Tight hamstrings or weaker abs could easily be the culprut, but as everybody else suggested, you need to get it checked out in case it is something more serious. Anything tight around there can cause back problems. I have had tight hip flexors for years, and they have caused my pelvis to slightly rotate, casuing back problems. It is heightened by tight hamstrings as well.
Take yoga, that will probably help you if the doc gives you the green light and it is not something serious. It will help reduce the chance of injury too. Too many people stretch wrong and it tightens or injures them further.
Take yoga, that will probably help you if the doc gives you the green light and it is not something serious. It will help reduce the chance of injury too. Too many people stretch wrong and it tightens or injures them further.
Well, as you pointed out the first person to see is a physician. But since you also pointed out that there are many different diagnosis, perhaps the first physician to see should be an internist, not a physiatrist.NSXLuvr said:
Steve
There are many good points here.Without turning this into a "ask the doctor" medical help thread I would strongly encourage stretching eg, yoga,as well as ab excercise and hyperextensions for the long muscles of the back.Everyone needs to assess thier own physical baseline capability and I encourage a discussion with your own gp before undertaking new or more rigorous excercise.Noone can diagnose you on line and it is folly to try.The only generality I can give is that there are many layers of stuff(muscle/tendon/ligaments) as well as the spine itself all of which can contribute to pain.Your actual bone density also plays a part,esp in older folk and woman.Back pain is a leading cause of missed work as well as workers comp cases,so there is some secondary gain assoc with this complaint.
