Running hip and lower back pain

Treatments for running hip and lower-back back pain

Whilst lower leg pain is normally experienced by beginner runners, hip and lower back pain are more common injuries suffered by runners looking to increase the mileage and intensity of their run training. Hip and back pain can both hinder your running plans so it's important to take adequate procedures if you're struggling in your running. Here's our guide to preventing hip and lower back running injuries and recovering from them.

For the running beginner, the most common injuries are caused in the lower leg. However, hip and lower-back pain tends to happen to runners after the beginning stages of the training programme, when mileage and intensity has increased.

Hip and back pain in runners can be attributed to several possible conditions, including:

A strain in the hip flexors (the muscles that lift or ‘flex’ your thighs when running)
A tightening of the piriformis (hip muscle) during a run
Lumbar sprain
A stress fracture

Strain in the hip flexors
As your running training intensifies, the hip flexors can become overworked, in which case fatigue will set in and pain will follow. Although painful and initially debilitating, this injury is typically not serious and responds rapidly to rest from running, ice and stretching.

Tightening of the piriformis
Deep muscular hip pain is a common occurrence in runners trying to increase their mileage and may be attributed to a tightening of the lesser known hip muscle: the piriformis. As the piriformis is situated near a major nerve in the leg, any tightening can put pressure on that nerve causing pain in your hip during running. Action can be taken to reduce tightness through applying deep pressure to the muscle and a regular stretching programme around your running routine.

Lumbar sprain
Nothing is more aggravating or annoying to runners than lower-back pain.The majority of lower-back pain cases in runners are due to lumbar sprain. As there is no test to diagnose lumber sprain, the rule of thumb with this condition is to do what you are capable of. Walking and very gentle stretching can be beneficial along with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs which can help in the short term, although you need to consult your doctor first.

Stress fractures
Stress fractures can occur in the hip, pelvis or thigh - the underlying cause being the repetitive impact of the ground against the bone. The classic symptom of this injury is pain that it gets worse while running and is relived with rest. Treatment, depending on location and severity of the injury usually consists of no running for four to six weeks, then a gradual return to jogging.

The good news is that all these injuries can be fixed, as long as a well-planned rehabilitation programme is in place. You must seek professional advice to get an accurate diagnosis and treatment advice.