Do you run with back or neck pain? 3 easy steps to relief

Running with back or neck pain is certainly not a pleasure. You focus on the pain instead of enjoying your special moment. Each footstep sends an annoying jolt down your lower back, neck, or between your shoulder blades. With no relief in sight, the miles go by and you keep checking your watch to see how long you’ve been on the road. It’s not funny. There are many causes of back and neck pain, especially in athletes. In some cases, you can overcome the problem yourself. In other cases, you will need to seek the help of a qualified professional, such as a chiropractor or sports medicine specialist. How do you know when to self-treat and when to seek help? Here are some suggestions to follow before heading to the doctor’s office.

1. Work on your form. Running requires maintaining correct posture with tremendous muscular effort for long periods of time. Make sure to “think high” when you run. A forward lean while running puts extra pressure on the erector spinae muscles in the lower back, which fatigue them and predisposes them to injury and eventually back pain. Keep your shoulders down and relaxed. I see many runners raising their shoulders around their ears. Strains of the trapezius, levator scapulae, and neck muscles are the common result of this type of poor form, with the end result being neck pain. Lastly, keep your chest up and out. Avoid that burning pain between the shoulder blades by maintaining the tone of the interscapular muscles. Keeping the chest up and out also expands lung capacity.

2. Work on your flexibility and strength. Stretch your hamstrings. Almost everyone with tight hamstrings has some type of low back pain. This is because these muscles work in conjunction with the erector spinae muscles to keep you in an upright position. Gentle daily hamstring and calf stretches can help ease lower back pain. Strengthen your quadriceps and abs. Running does not naturally develop quadriceps or stabilizing spinal muscles like abs. Get a bike ride or lift some weights. Do your abs. Increase the range of motion of your spine. Gently stretch your neck and lower back in the directions of forward flexion, backward extension, lateral tilt, and rotation. Roll your shoulders up and back and squeeze your shoulder blades. You will feel a difference in your mid back immediately.

3. Work on your injuries. Get a massage. A good massage will help relieve back and neck pain, increase circulation to injured muscles, break down (non-functional) scar tissue, and speed healing. Use ice where it hurts. Ice is nature’s own anti-inflammatory and analgesic treatment. Stay away from hot tubs for a couple of weeks. Heat is one of the components of inflammation. Muscles may feel better while in the bathtub, but it’s like pouring gasoline on a fire. Increase your intake of easily absorbed forms of calcium, magnesium, and potassium. They are nature’s muscle relaxants. Vitamin D3 modulates the inflammatory response. Fish oil is an excellent source of omega 3 fatty acids for muscle repair and health. Lastly, make sure you get enough rest both between workouts and at night. It takes seven to eight hours a night. Your body will need more time to heal. You are healing more efficiently when you sleep.

When should you see a specialist. If your back or neck pain continues for a few weeks after following these suggestions, your injury may be more serious than you can handle on your own. You may have a condition that involves more than just muscles. The health of the spine depends on the individual movement of each of its 24 vertebrae. When one of these joints is injured and doesn’t move like it’s supposed to, it can cause irritation of the nerves that run between the vertebrae. These nerves control all functions of the body, including the voluntary and involuntary muscles of the spine. Irritated nerves cause muscle spasms. The spasm causes pain. The condition in which the abnormal function of a joint interferes with a nerve is called “subluxation.” Chiropractors are doctors who specialize in relieving this condition without the use of drugs or surgery. Having your spine checked for subluxations may be the key to breaking the injury / pain cycle for you. Back or neck pain takes away all the pleasure of running or any activity. By following these simple tips, you can find relief and get back to enjoying a great sport and your special moment. To view a video edit of this article, click the following link: Running With Back Pain? Relief