Lower back pain that is caused by muscle strains or other soft tissue injuries usually resolves within two to three days. If the pain continues for more than two weeks, the patient might want to see a spine specialist. This would allow them to be given a time frame.
Herniated Disc
A herniated disc refers to a condition in which the disc bulges or ruptures and places pressure around a nerve. This condition is easily aggravated by running repetitively. Symptoms may then progress to sciatica. An athlete should seek immediate treatment from a spine specialist if they experience any of these symptoms, including numbness or weakness in their legs. These symptoms will often require an MRI to assess the health of the lumbar spine discs. Patients will often be advised to stop running and jogging when a herniation has been diagnosed. For symptom relief, physical therapy or Cortisone injections may be beneficial. You may find it helpful to modify your workout to be more low-impact or less intense.
Here are some low-impact aerobic exercises to lower back pain
- Elliptical trainer
- Cycling, or stationary cycling
- Walking on a treadmill (or exercise walking)
- Pool therapy and water therapy for pain relief
- Swimming
If a disc is causing severe leg pain or progressive sciatica (leg swelling), surgery might be recommended. This type of surgery involves a microdiscectomy, which removes a small portion of the disc from the nerve. This is a highly successful procedure that can relieve leg pain and allow you to resume your athletic activities.
A majority of patients who have had a microdiscectomy for nerve root irritation will be able to return to pre-injury levels of performance, as long as they do not have nerve damage. It is vital to seek an evaluation promptly if you experience neurological symptoms such as progressive leg weakness and numbness.
One condition that is particularly concerning is called foot drop. A person will experience weakness or loss in strength in one leg and lose the ability of raising their foot above the ankle. This type of condition can lead to severe nerve damage and may require surgery.
Spondylolisthesis & Degenerative Disc Disease
Running can also cause symptoms from degenerative disc disorder (DDD), and spondylolisthesis. Degenerative disc disease occurs when the disc has lost some of its shock-absorbing/ cushioning capabilities. Spondylolisthesis, a form or spinal instability, is the slippage of one vertebra over another. With repetitive stress from running/jogging, the degenerative disc condition or spondylolisthesis can develop over time. These conditions are more common among older athletes aged 40-60.
If the person feels that they are experiencing sciatica, lower back pain, or sciatica after running, it is best to switch to a low-impact exercise routine and to have a chiropractic evaluation. Some symptoms of degenerative disc disease or spondylolisthesis may be relieved with core strengthening, proper exercises, and possibly wearing an athletic brace. Sometimes, the condition becomes more severe and may require further intervention such as back surgery. These decisions are often symptom-driven. They may also be based on neurological status. You can also inflame other conditions by running, including arthritic conditions of your lower back like arthritis or spinal stenosis.
Worst Case Scenario
Although your chiropractor can relieve sciatica pain or low back discomfort, there are some situations where the injury to the disc or other injuries to the spine is so severe that you cannot return to running, marathons, 10Ks, and other distances. You should consult your chiropractor about the long-term effects of a herniated neck disc.
You might still be able to run or do other types. You may be able to walk or run for shorter durations, or maybe you find swimming a new passion. Running doesn’t make you incapable of doing any exercise. You might just need to focus your efforts on something else.
What is the Cause of Low Back Pain?
There are many reasons for low back pain. These include kidney stones, degenerative arthritis and muscle imbalances. Tumors, infection, and other serious problems can also occur, but they are very rare. Back pain is usually caused by strains or sprains. Sciatica, another source of pain is also possible, but it is typically felt lower down along the buttocks or down the back of your leg. It is not always felt across the lower back, near the tailbone, and is often felt on the one side.
Sciatica can be caused by a herniated or bulging disc. Although most people feel the pain on one side of their spines, some may feel it radiating down to their backs. You may have wondered if running is good to treat sciatica. Unfortunately, running can only make your sciatica worse unless your chiropractor addresses the root cause.
Chiropractic Care
Comprehensive chiropractic care is essential in allowing the discs and muscle tissue to heal as well as putting the spine back in the correct position. You can also remain pain-free.
Depending on your specific circumstances, the chiropractor may recommend:
- DRS System (an abaxial and spinal decompression system)
- Ultrasound
- Low-Level Lasers
- Chiropractic Massage
Prioritize Your Goals
Running is something you truly love if it’s something you enjoy. Your chiropractor may tell you that your body isn’t ready. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you will never be able to run a marathon again. It is much better to concentrate your energy on healing and increasing your flexibility, so you can participate in those future marathons.
How do I run with Herniated Discs
It is difficult to deal with back problems such as herniated discs. Although it can be done, it is important to work with your doctor to devise a plan. Your personal circumstances will help your doctor create a safe treatment. Once you have pain relief and are cleared to run again by your doctor, I would recommend that you reevaluate your running routine. It is important to create a plan with your doctor that addresses how your body responds when you engage in high-impact exercise.
You should be flexible and strong. You can prevent joint pain and stiffness by adding total-body strength training to the routine three times per semaine, along with daily flexibility exercises. You can exercise more safely and with less pain by developing strong, well-balanced muscles and joints. To build strength, you don’t need to lift heavy weights. You can use this Runner’s Strong Program anywhere.
You can weave in low-impact training. When training for a race it’s easy just to focus on running. You can improve your fitness by switching between running for low- or no-impact cross-training. This will increase your flexibility, decrease your stress levels, make your training more intense, and allow you to recover faster. Cross-training activities such as swimming, cycling and climbing stairs are all effective. You could alternate easy to moderate runs with intervals of fitness-boosting cycling or running on the elliptical.
Move off the beaten path. Running places vertical stress on the spine, and it is a high-impact sport. You can avoid hard surfaces such as concrete streets and paved roads to help you run pain free. Running on trails means that every step is unique. This distributes the wear and tear across your body. This could help to reduce pain caused by repetitive road running. A softer surface is less stressful for your body.
You can run and walk. Running and walking together for a short time in short intervals, such as three to four minute runs followed by one to two minute of walking, will reduce the impact force on your joints. Intervals are a great way to speed up your workouts.
Refocus your goals. While I know you have a 10-K on your calendar, it is important to focus on your recovery. The first thing you should do is to be pain-free. This can be achieved by strengthening and flexibility. Next, add low-impact activities so that your body can tolerate them without pain. You can then add running and walking to your training program. These short runs should last between 10 to 15 minutes. You could do this by running for 10 minutes, then walking for 1 minute, and then using the elliptical to run for 20 minutes. When you are able to do this without pain, increase the running time. Do not set a goal to run the race until you are able to run/walk 30-40 minutes without pain. You can then take on the challenge with minimal risk of injury.
You can take a step in a different direction by creating a program that focuses only on your weak spots. It may be that run-walking makes running more fun or that you are able to run faster with this strategy. You might fall in love with swimming or cycling. It is important to develop a plan that will allow you to move forward in a strong way, so that you can enjoy an active lifestyle for many more years.
