Lower back pain is a common issue with most individuals today, and if you’re an avid runner, you’re likely to experience lower back pain from your running routine. Runners often experience lower back pain due to a weakness in their core and hip muscles, impairs their ability to run in the correct form.
Core muscles are extremely important to sculpt and strengthen for running as these muscles support the way we bend, extend and improve our flexibility to maximize overall performance.
Lower back pain is a nuisance for anyone to deal with and if you’re just trying to get a good run in to stay active, it’s time to correct this issue to get your running routine back up to speed.
Exercise to Help Runners With Lower Back Pain
These effective exercises will help you strengthen your core and put your lower body muscles to work to improve performance and prevent lower-back pain when you run.
1. Hip Bridges
Hip bridges are great for strengthening the glutes, hamstrings and quads.
Directions:
- Start by lying on the floor with your knees bent and your feet planted firmly on the floor.
- Raise your hips toward the ceiling, as high as you can go, and pause for a few seconds.
- Gently lower your hips back down and repeat.
- Perform hip bridges for 60 seconds.
2. Cat-Cow Pose
Cat-cow pose gives your body a good stretch and boosts your range of motion when you run.
Directions:
- Start by getting on all fours and focus on your breath.
- As you inhale, drop your belly toward the floor and arch your back to extend and lengthen your head and tailbone toward the ceiling.
- On your exhale, round your spine to bring your head and tailbone toward the floor.
- Repeat cat-cows for a couple of breaths.
3. Side Planks
Side planks help to activate the hip rotators and your core muscles that boost stability to the lower back.
Directions:
- Lie on your right side and place your forearm perpendicular to your mat. Stack your left leg on top of your right.
- Keeping your core tight and engaged, lift your hips off the mat and raise it toward the ceiling. You have the option to raise your left arm toward the ceiling.
- Hold this side plank for 30 to 60 seconds and repeat on the other side.
4. Single-Leg Squats
Squats are excellent to build strength and strengthen the lower body.
Directions:
- Balance on your right leg and push your hips back to prepare to squat.
- Lower down to perform a partial squat and push back up to stand.
- Perform single leg squats for 30 seconds on the right leg and switch sides to repeat.
5. Bird Dog Pose
Bird dog pose will keep the core engaged and activate the lower back to stabilize the torso.
Directions:
- Start by getting on all fours and focus on your breath.
- Keeping your core tight and engaged, extend your right hand toward the front and your left foot back simultaneously. Try to avoid arching your back.
- Hold this pose for 60 seconds.
- Switch the arm and leg and repeat.
Workout adapted from shape.com.
