I have had this pain in my lower back for around 2 years and around 8 months ago it became too bad to continue trying to run. When not running it is hardly noticeable but when running after around 1.5 miles it kicks in as a numbing ache in my lower back on the left side that gets too bad after another mile or so to continue.

I am 55 now and some of you may know that I was quite a keen runner right up until my 40’s and was still a bit competitive. Would love to train and race in my age group but this apparently muscular problem just will not go away.

I have seen 2 physios who both said nothing serious was obvious which is good news (worried it may be my hip) and gave me exercises to do (which I am doing) but it just wont give up.

Any suggestions/experiences or just opportunities to moan, gratefully received…

Is it at the top of your hips?

Just asking….

Any suggestions/experiences or just opportunities to moan, gratefully received

If the physios can’t find anything wrong then maybe it’s just an age thing from years of running?

Perhaps it’s your body saying it prefers it when you cycle or swim?

I’m the same, from time to time my back goes, I get spasms and one side pulls down and it takes about a week to fix. Again, they can’t find anything wrong with me.

I think from years of playing basketball I damaged my right ankle which puts my body out of balance and then the other side compensates until eventually it goes. I was never a great runner but I feel it when ever I try. I stick to walking and cycling now.

Have you ever had any bad injuries that you might be carrying affecting your back?

How is it riding/in general life ? If mainly running, I suspect you’ll need to see a physio that treats runners ? You could have a number of issues.

I work with a specialist back expert, and alot of issues can come from the lack of flexibility in the bottom of the back and hip joints.

As somone who has half his L1 missing and a squashed disc (badly broken back – hit by driver) there is nothing more important than keeping things moving. I can’t, however, run much now due to spinal impact as my L1 is like a cheese wedge shape – I’m missing the ‘front’ of it.

Have you ever had any bad injuries that you might be carrying affecting your back?

Not back related ones and although had my share of injuries I was never a high mileage runner, over the years probably only averaged around 45-50 mpw.

How is it riding/in general life ?

No trouble riding only running (I can give or take riding (I know I am in the wrong place) but depresses me to consider not running)

Is it at the top of your hips?

Yes above my Glute just to the left.

Sounds like lower disc related. Could be a herniated or some how damaged/worn one. time for a rest.

Have you got a leg length discrepancy?

Both physios sure it is not disk/hip/skeletal (which is quite good news) thats why it is so frustrating. Have taken long periods off, several weeks at a time

Have you got a leg length discrepancy?

Physios examined this and dint think it was an issue. TBH I have seen 3 physios, one not quite as qualified as the other two but very knowledgable.

Get a referral for an MRI? Not sure how much they are, I guess a few hundred pounds unless you have a private healthcare policy that will cover it.

Is it at the top of your hips?

Yes above my Glute just to the left.

Hmmm.. I suffered for a while with this, or something very similar. I took a week off running to see what effect it would have and it remained but gradually over about a month it has disappeared. And it’s relatively recent, well a couple of months ago.

I didn’t consult anyone, and I wasn’t sure what it was.. The only thing I have changed is adding a more road into my trail running.

So that’s got me thinking, have you changed surface or shoes or intensity?

It’s all I’ve got, and only coming from my POV.

I had a few biomechanical problems with my lower body, leading to irritating back aches (nothing painful but noticeable), a really tight calf on my right leg, and the thigh muscle feeling like it was trying to tear my knee cap off on my left leg. Once one problem started it caused a feedback loop to the other and I was ending up walking all twisted. Physios just recomended stretching, but that never sorted it out.

2 things did sort me out, firstly regular weight training. You don’t have to do a lot, twice a week for 1/2 an hour or so a time is plenty, but you do want to use proper weights and do compound exercises, the 5×5 program is spot on IMO. Poncing about with bands or bodyweight exercises just won’t do as a substitute. But you don’t need to go mad, this is supplementary exercise, so the secret is to do enough to get the benefit, without burning out for the ones you really like doing (ie running and biking). You also have to realise that you are in for the long haul, it is not a problem curable with just 6 months of weight training and then give up, or the problem will return as your muscles weaken again.

2nd thing that really helped is going for barefoot/minimalist shoes, not for running (I have tried but I just can’t run in minimal shoes, but I never was much of a runner) but for everyday life, it just makes sense to allow the foot to work mechanically the way it evolved rather than confine it in rigid shoes with heels. There are plenty of minimalist shoes now suitable for work as well. It is a bit strange at first and you can really feel the posterior chain stretching a little and all the little muscles in the feet get achy as the are now used. But once that feeling had gone away I realised so had a lot of the other little aches and niggles that had been afflicting me for a few years.

And what I mean by a minimalist shoe is one that has no heel to toe drop, is very flexible thus allowing the foot to move naturally, and with a wide to box to allow the toes to move and spread. I do now have a pair of altra running shoes that do most of that but do have a fair wack of cushioning so are not really that flexible, but seem a good compromise for me. Apart from them and 1 pair of “interview shoes” which I never wear and my cycling shoes, all my footwear is minimalist.

Is it at the top of your hips?

Yes above my Glute just to the left.

Hmmm.. I suffered for a while with this, or something very similar.

Few years ago I got that too but mine was on top of both hips. It was so painful at one point I felt like I was carrying a double decker bus on top of me. At one point I couldn’t sit or walk without pain. Carrying a bag of sugar felt like adding 20kg of weight to my hips. At one point my entire body stiffen and every movement hurts. Finally I got it sorted out using traditional massage. All my shoes worn out on one side within few months. Not sure how I injured my back but somehow I might have pull something in my body …

I think you might need someone to adjust your body alignment.

I got that too but mine was on top of both hips. It was so painful at one point I felt like I was carrying a double decker bus on top of me.

Yeah, thats kinda similar for me.

TBH, I have been surfing more and thats probably another issue with me.

Weight baring, twisting, squats… hmmm.

Don’t suppose surfers doing more surfing?

Tiger balm. Cures all.

Hmm, interesting.
When I started running I had nasty back pain roughly where you describe. It went away as I slowly built the mileage up.
My conclusion was that I was just lacking some strength in that area and that I’d gone a little to hard to quickly. Not sure if this’ll apply to someone who used to run a lot.

Not back related ones and although had my share of injuries I was never a high mileage runner,

It needn’t be your back you injured, I broke a toe about 12 years ago and I’m still bothered with issues on that side of my body – currently working through some glute related issues where I’ve apparently started compensating my biomechanics most likely by limping on the broken toe for a good few weeks and then muscle tone changing to suit that compensation making an imbalance that makes me twist.

And I wasn’t a runner at all at the time of the original injury but it affects my running now.

Do you sit down a lot?

Could be pelvic tilt from tight quads and hip flexors putting strain on your lower back.

I get exactly this if I stop running for a while, and get lazy with stretching post gym and/or sitting all day.

Stretch Quads, hips and Glutes frequently (I like Active Isolated Stretching – AIS). Kneeling hip flexor stretch and lying glute stretch particulary effective I find.

Thanks everyone its good to get your experiences.

* Generally trained and raced on all surfaces and no change recently so dont think its that.

* My core is relatively strong but I continue to work on it.

* I do have arthritis in my large toe joint on the other side. I do realise that this may be having some effect but other than wearing stiff forefoot shoes (Hoka’s) there is little I can do about that.

* Yes I do sit down a lot unfortunately and my job is largely desk based.

Thanks again for your comments, some things for me to work on.

I’ve been getting lower back pain recently. not quite the same as yours as it doesn’t affect me when running or cycling, but it does otherwise – a stiffness and pain in the lower back. I’ve recently been focussing on stretching out my buttocks and using a foam roller on my buttocks and lower back area and it seems to be doing the trick in alleviating the pain so put it down to me not stretching that area. Probably not the same issue as you’re having but worth a try.

Ignore all this “you are broken” nonsense:
https://www.painscience.com/articles/structuralism.php

Don’t bother with an MRI, it will probably just say “age related degeneration” or “prolapsed/herniated” which will probably have nothing to do with your pain. Lots of people have these things without any symptoms (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4464797/).

Physio will just tell you to McKenzie exercises (https://www.spineone.com/blog/mckenzie-method-back-pain/), which are probably useful to maintain spinal mobility.

Working on mobility, hip stability and glute strength may help.

This is all my own opinion and could just be nonsense. 🙂

You may also find that the problem cannot be fixed and that you may have to find a way around it. Maybe reduce your running right down and try and build it up again?

Good luck!

the 5×5 program is spot on IMO

Can you post a link to your one?  A quick google brings back loads of variations so a physio recommended / running-specific one would be good to know.

Thanks in advance.

Thanks Geomickb. I think it is quite rare to have running related injuries that cant be resolved with rest, strength building and treatment (of course there are some)

I am an eternal optimist and I know I can run sub 30 for 5 miles at 55 if I can overcome these injuries……

BTW thats a really interesting link 🙂

pain above the glute on one side, sounds like the gluteus medius to me. Mine get tight and knotted which leads to Sacroilliac joint pain (SI joint)
I’ve recently discovered that using a foam roller on the glute medius is a massive help. Have to lie down and use body weight to do it.

What is sacroiliac joint pain?
The SI joints are located between the iliac bones and the sacrum, connecting the spine to the hips. The two joints provide support and stability, and play a major role in absorbing impact when walking and lifting. From the back, the SI joints are located below the waist where two dimples are visible.

Thanks Keva. Added some specific exercises to my recovery routine 🙂

Ran 4.5 miles this am and it was bearable…