Explore common causes, running biomechanics, recovery strategies and sports chiropractic in Mosman.
Why your lower back hurts during or after running, and how chiropractic care can help you keep moving.
Running is one of the simplest and most effective ways to stay active. Whether you're heading out for a morning jog, building towards your first 10-kilometre race or training for a marathon, running offers fantastic benefits for cardiovascular fitness, muscular endurance and overall wellbeing.
But what happens when your lower back starts hurting? Perhaps you notice a dull ache after a few kilometres, stiffness when you finish your run or discomfort on one side of your lower back that keeps returning.
You might find that your legs feel strong and your fitness is improving, but your back is becoming the limiting factor.
The good news is that running isn't inherently bad for your back. In fact, your spine is designed to move, tolerate load and adapt to physical activity. When discomfort develops, understanding how your body manages the demands of running can help you find a way forward.
At Nomad Chiropractic in Mosman, we look beyond where your back hurts to understand how your spine, pelvis, hips and nervous system work together. Our goal is to help you move more comfortably, build confidence in your body and keep doing the activities you enjoy.
Because a strong, healthy back isn't one that avoids movement. It's one that has the capacity to move, adapt and respond to the demands you place on it.
Why Does My Lower Back Hurt When I Run?
Lower back pain during or after running can develop when the physical demands of running exceed your body's current capacity to manage them comfortably.
Common contributing factors include:
Increasing running distance or intensity too quickly.
Reduced muscular endurance around your trunk and hips.
Restricted or uncomfortable movement through your hips or spine.
Changes in running stride, cadence or movement patterns.
Previous episodes of lower back pain.
Fatigue affecting muscular coordination.
Sensitivity in spinal joints, muscles or surrounding tissues.
Insufficient recovery between demanding training sessions.
Sometimes the discomfort reflects muscular fatigue or temporary tissue sensitivity. Other times, recurring pain may involve a mechanical or neurological condition that deserves closer assessment.
The important question isn't simply why your back hurts. It's what happens to your movement, loading and muscular control as you run.
Is Running Actually Bad for Your Lower Back?
One of the biggest misconceptions about running is that repetitive impact gradually wears out your spine.
Your body is far more adaptable than that.
Your spine, muscles, tendons and other tissues respond to the loads placed upon them. With appropriate training and recovery, these structures develop the capacity to tolerate repeated movement.
A 2020 systematic review published in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders examined 19 studies investigating lower back pain among runners. The researchers found that reported rates of lower back pain were generally low compared with several other athletic populations and running-related injuries.
Interestingly, the authors suggested that running may even have a protective association with lower back pain, although further research is needed to establish this relationship.
This challenges the idea that running is inherently damaging to the spine.
Your back is designed to handle movement and loading. The challenge arises when training demands, muscular capacity and recovery are no longer well matched.
1. Running Places Repetitive Demands on Your Spine and Pelvis
Every running stride involves a coordinated sequence of movement. As your foot contacts the ground, forces travel through your lower limbs while your muscles work to absorb and manage the load.
Your pelvis and trunk help maintain balance, control rotation and transfer forces between your upper and lower body.
This requires coordination between your lumbar spine, pelvis, sacroiliac joints, hips, abdominal muscles, spinal extensors and gluteal muscles.
Unlike walking, running includes a flight phase when neither foot is touching the ground. Your body repeatedly transitions between being airborne and accepting load through one leg.
Your spine and surrounding muscles play an important role in managing these changes.
Over a short run, this may be relatively easy. Over thousands of repeated strides, muscular fatigue and movement demands accumulate.
For someone whose lower back is already sensitive, this repeated loading may gradually aggravate symptoms.
Why Your Lower Back May Hurt More on Longer Runs
A common pattern is experiencing little or no pain during the first few kilometres, followed by gradually increasing discomfort.
You might feel comfortable during your first three kilometres, notice your back becoming tight around five kilometres and find yourself changing your stride by the time you reach eight kilometres.
This may suggest your current muscular endurance or tolerance for repetitive loading is being challenged.
It doesn't automatically mean your running technique is wrong or that something is damaged.
Your body may simply need a more gradual progression in training, strength or endurance.
2. Your Hip Mobility Can Influence Your Running Mechanics
Your hips and lower back work closely together. During running, your hips repeatedly move through flexion and extension as your legs travel forwards and backwards.
Your pelvis and lumbar spine coordinate with these movements to help maintain balance and transfer forces.
If hip movement is restricted, uncomfortable or difficult to control, your body may adopt a different movement strategy.
For example, someone with limited hip extension may use a different pelvic or trunk position as their leg moves behind them. This isn't necessarily harmful, but when a particular movement pattern repeatedly aggravates symptoms, examining how your hips and spine work together can be helpful.
What Does the Research Say?
The 2020 systematic review of lower back pain in runners identified restricted hip flexion range of motion among several reported associated factors. Differences in flexibility, running experience and other individual characteristics were also identified.
These findings don't mean every runner needs exceptionally flexible hips. They highlight the importance of understanding how movement characteristics interact with training demands.
At Nomad, we may assess hip flexion and extension, hip rotation, lumbar mobility, pelvic movement, single-leg balance and functional movements relevant to running.
The aim isn't to make every runner move identically. It's to help your body move comfortably and effectively for the demands of your sport.
3. Your Glutes and Trunk Muscles Help Manage Running Loads
Running requires more than strong legs.
Your gluteal muscles, abdominal muscles and spinal extensors contribute to trunk and pelvic control throughout the running cycle. These muscles help you maintain your movement pattern while repeatedly accepting load on one leg.
Your Gluteal Muscles
Your gluteus maximus contributes to hip extension and force production, while your gluteus medius and other hip muscles help control the position and movement of your pelvis during single-leg stance.
If these muscles lack sufficient strength or endurance for your training demands, you may notice changes in pelvic movement as fatigue develops.
Your Trunk Muscles
Your abdominal muscles and spinal extensors help manage movement and forces through your trunk.
They don't need to keep your spine completely rigid. Your spine naturally moves while running, and the surrounding muscles coordinate that movement as your body responds to each stride.
What Happens When These Muscles Become Fatigued?
As fatigue develops, you may notice increased movement through your trunk, difficulty maintaining your running rhythm, changes in stride length or greater effort through your lower back.
These changes aren't automatically signs of injury, but they can provide useful information about your current physical capacity.
Building strength and endurance around your hips and trunk can help improve your ability to tolerate longer and more demanding runs.
4. Your Running Technique May Be Contributing to Back Pain
There's no single running technique that's perfect for everyone. Your height, limb proportions, strength, training history and preferred running speed all influence how you move.
However, certain running characteristics can affect how forces are distributed through your body.
Overstriding
Overstriding generally refers to landing with your foot relatively far in front of your centre of mass. This can increase braking forces and alter the mechanical demands placed on your lower limbs.
For some runners, reducing excessive overstriding may improve movement efficiency and comfort.
Running Cadence
Cadence refers to the number of steps you take per minute.
Research by Heiderscheit and colleagues demonstrated that modest increases in running step rate can change lower-limb joint mechanics, including reducing certain loading measures at the hip and knee.
While this doesn't prove that increasing cadence directly treats lower back pain, it demonstrates how relatively small changes in running mechanics can influence the forces experienced by your body.
For selected runners, experimenting with a slightly shorter stride or modest cadence adjustment may be useful.
Trunk Position and Rotation
Your trunk naturally rotates as you run, while your arms swing to help coordinate movement and balance.
Some runners experience discomfort when their preferred trunk position becomes difficult to maintain as fatigue develops.
Rather than forcing an artificially upright or rigid posture, it's more useful to understand which movement patterns feel comfortable and whether your body has the capacity to sustain them.
A Sports Chiropractic Perspective
Australian sports chiropractor Dr Luke Nelson is known for his work in running gait analysis, strength training and sports injury rehabilitation. His approach highlights the value of understanding individual running mechanics rather than applying identical movement corrections to every runner.
This reflects an important principle in sports chiropractic.
Good running mechanics aren't about looking perfect. They're about finding a movement strategy that works for your body, your physical capacity and your goals.
5. Your Nervous System Is Constantly Coordinating Your Running Movement
Running might feel automatic, but your brain and nervous system are working continuously.
Every stride requires your nervous system to process information about where your feet are positioned, how your joints are moving, changes in balance, muscle activity, trunk position and the surface you're running on.
This information comes from sensory receptors throughout your body, including those within your muscles, tendons and joints.
It's part of a process called proprioception, which is your body's awareness of position and movement.
Your brain uses this information alongside vision and vestibular input to coordinate movement.
Why Proprioception Matters for Runners
Imagine running along an uneven coastal trail. Your body makes countless small adjustments as the surface changes.
You don't consciously calculate the position of every joint. Your nervous system uses incoming sensory information to coordinate the necessary responses.
This ability is important for balance, movement accuracy and adapting to changes in terrain.
It's also one reason chiropractors consider more than muscular strength when assessing movement.
What Does Chiropractic Neuroscience Tell Us?
Research by neuroscientist and chiropractor Dr Heidi Haavik and colleagues has investigated how spinal manipulation influences sensory processing and motor control.
Their research has identified measurable changes in aspects of sensorimotor processing following spinal manipulation.
A 2012 review by Haavik and Murphy explored the potential role of spinal manipulation in influencing how the central nervous system integrates sensory information and coordinates motor output.
These findings demonstrate that spinal adjustments can influence neurological activity beyond the immediate mechanical movement of a joint. Research is continuing into how these changes relate to longer-term clinical outcomes and athletic performance.
At Nomad Chiropractic, we consider spinal mobility, movement control and neurological function as interconnected aspects of musculoskeletal health.
Your spine isn't simply a mechanical structure. It's also an important source of sensory information that helps your nervous system coordinate movement.
6. Increasing Your Running Distance Too Quickly Can Aggravate Your Back
Have you recently started training for a half marathon? Perhaps you've increased your weekly running distance, introduced hill sessions or added speed work.
Even if your cardiovascular fitness is improving, the structures supporting your spine may need more time to adapt.
Research into back pain across athletic populations has identified training volume, changes in loading and previous episodes of back pain as factors worth considering when assessing symptoms.
Running Volume Isn't Just About Distance
Consider the following:
Distance: How many kilometres are you running each week?
Intensity: Have you introduced intervals, tempo sessions or faster runs?
Terrain: Have you started running hills or technical trails?
Frequency: Are you running more days each week?
Recovery: Are you allowing adequate recovery between demanding sessions?
Changing several of these variables simultaneously can make it difficult to identify what's aggravating your symptoms.
If back pain appears after a recent training increase, temporarily reducing one or more variables may allow symptoms to settle while you maintain comfortable activity.
The goal is to find the amount of running your body currently tolerates, then progressively build from there.
7. Why Does My Lower Back Hurt on One Side After Running?
Some runners experience discomfort predominantly on the left or right side of their lower back.
This may involve muscles, spinal joints, the sacroiliac region or other supporting structures.
Potential contributing factors include differences in muscular loading, sensitivity associated with lumbar joints, hip movement limitations, previous injuries or changes in movement patterns.
However, one-sided pain doesn't automatically mean your pelvis is out of alignment or that one leg is shorter than the other.
A thorough assessment helps distinguish between different sources of discomfort and identify which movements reproduce your symptoms.
If pain repeatedly occurs on the same side, your chiropractor may assess spinal movement, hip function, neurological findings and relevant functional tasks.
Understanding the pattern of your symptoms can guide more targeted treatment and rehabilitation.
How Sports Chiropractic Can Help Running-Related Back Pain
Sports chiropractic combines musculoskeletal assessment, spinal care, movement rehabilitation and practical advice relevant to physical activity.
The International Federation of Sports Chiropractic (FICS) provides advanced education covering athlete assessment, spinal and extremity manipulation, rehabilitation and sports injury management.
At Nomad Chiropractic, we apply these principles to the assessment and management of movement-related musculoskeletal complaints.
▪️ Chiropractic Adjustments
Spinal adjustments are an established conservative treatment option for certain presentations of lower back pain.
A systematic review published in the BMJ found that spinal manipulative therapy can improve pain and function in people with chronic lower back pain, with outcomes generally comparable to other recommended conservative treatments.
For runners, chiropractic adjustments may form part of a broader approach designed to improve comfort, restore movement and support participation in exercise.
▪️ Hip and Pelvic Assessment
We examine how your hips, pelvis and lumbar spine contribute to movement. This may help identify uncomfortable movement patterns, mobility limitations or areas requiring additional strength and control.
▪️ Soft Tissue Therapy
Where appropriate, soft tissue techniques may be used to address muscular sensitivity and discomfort.
▪️ Strength and Movement Rehabilitation
Exercises may be recommended to help improve trunk strength, hip control, balance and tolerance for repetitive loading.
▪️ Running and Training Advice
We consider your current running volume, symptoms, training goals and recovery. Rather than simply advising you to stop running, we aim to identify an appropriate way forward.
Our goal isn't simply to help your back feel better. It's to help you move confidently, manage the demands of running and keep enjoying your sport.
Explore Sports & Exercise Chiropractic at Nomad
Five Exercises That May Help Lower Back Pain From Running
The following exercises can help develop mobility, strength and control relevant to running. Start at a comfortable level and progress gradually.
1. Glute Bridges
Focus: Hip strength and pelvic control
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Gently lift your hips towards the ceiling while keeping your movement controlled. Pause briefly before lowering.
Try: 2 sets of 10 to 12 repetitions.
Why it helps: Glute bridges strengthen the hip extensors and introduce controlled movement through the hips and pelvis.
2. Bird Dogs
Focus: Trunk control and coordination
Begin on your hands and knees. Slowly extend one arm and the opposite leg while keeping your trunk controlled. Return to the starting position and alternate sides.
Try: 2 sets of 6 to 8 repetitions per side.
Why it helps: Bird dogs challenge trunk control and coordination between your upper and lower limbs.
3. Side Planks
Focus: Trunk strength and endurance
Lie on your side, supported on your forearm. Lift your hips while maintaining a comfortable position. For an easier variation, keep your knees bent.
Try: Hold for 15 to 30 seconds per side.
Why it helps: Side planks develop lateral trunk strength and endurance, useful for controlling movement during single-leg loading.
4. Hip Flexor Mobility
Focus: Hip extension
Begin in a half-kneeling position. Gently move your pelvis forwards until you feel a comfortable stretch through the front of the hip on your rear leg. Avoid excessive arching through your lower back.
Try: Hold for 20 to 30 seconds per side.
Why it helps: Encourages hip extension mobility, which contributes to the running stride.
5. Single-Leg Balance
Focus: Balance and proprioception
Stand on one leg with a slight bend in your supporting knee. Maintain a comfortable, controlled position. Progress by adding gentle reaches with your free leg.
Try: Hold for 20 to 30 seconds per side.
Why it helps: Challenges your nervous system to coordinate information from your feet, ankles, hips and trunk, reflecting an important component of running.
These exercises are a starting point rather than a universal rehabilitation programme. The most appropriate exercises depend on your symptoms, movement assessment and current physical capacity.
👉 Should You Keep Running If Your Lower Back Hurts?
For many people with mild mechanical back pain, continuing to run with appropriate modifications is possible.
Consider reducing your distance, slowing your pace or temporarily avoiding hills and speed sessions. You may also find that alternating running and walking helps you remain active while reducing the total demand on your back.
Pay attention to how your symptoms respond both during and after your run.
Mild discomfort that remains manageable and settles afterwards may be compatible with continued activity. However, worsening pain, significant radiating symptoms or new neurological changes should be assessed.
Seek urgent medical attention for new bladder or bowel dysfunction, numbness around the saddle region or rapidly progressing leg weakness.
The aim isn't to avoid every uncomfortable sensation. It's to understand what your body can currently tolerate and progressively rebuild that capacity.
When Should You See a Chiropractor for Running-Related Back Pain?
Consider booking an assessment if:
Your back pain repeatedly appears at a particular running distance.
You experience stiffness after most runs.
Your symptoms are affecting your training schedule.
You have recurring one-sided lower back discomfort.
Pain persists despite reducing your running volume.
You're returning to running after a previous back injury.
You want guidance on building strength and movement capacity for running.
You want to perform at your best!
You want to ensure your brain and body are well connected and reduce the liklihood of injury
An assessment can help identify factors contributing to your symptoms and determine whether chiropractic care, rehabilitation or further investigation is appropriate.
Keep Running, Keep Moving and Enjoy What Your Body Can Do
Running should build your confidence in your body, not leave you constantly worrying about your back.
Your spine is designed to move, manage forces and adapt to physical activity. With an appropriate combination of spinal care, movement rehabilitation, training progression and recovery, many runners can improve their comfort and return to the activities they enjoy.
At Nomad Chiropractic, we support recreational runners and active adults throughout Mosman, Cremorne, Neutral Bay, Northbridge and Sydney's Lower North Shore and Northern Beaches.
Whether you're working towards your first five kilometres or preparing for your next marathon, we're here to help you understand your body and keep moving towards your goals.
Your body is built to move, your spine is built to adapt, and every comfortable stride is a step towards stronger, more confident running.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why does my lower back hurt after running but not while I'm running?
Lower back discomfort that develops after running may be associated with muscular fatigue, tissue sensitivity or the cumulative effects of repetitive loading. During a run, your muscles and nervous system are continually coordinating movement. Once you stop, you may become more aware of stiffness or discomfort. If symptoms regularly develop after running, reviewing your training volume, muscular endurance, spinal movement and recovery habits can help identify contributing factors.
2. Can chiropractic adjustments help with lower back pain caused by running?
Yes. Chiropractic adjustments are an evidence-supported treatment option for certain types of mechanical lower back pain. Research has found that spinal manipulative therapy can improve pain and function in people with chronic lower back pain. At Nomad Chiropractic, adjustments may be combined with movement assessment, strength exercises, soft tissue therapy and advice on modifying running loads. Treatment is tailored to your symptoms, examination findings and running goals.
3. Is running bad for your spine if you already have lower back pain?
Not necessarily. Running can be a healthy activity for people with a history of lower back pain, provided the activity suits their current condition and capacity. Research suggests that lower back pain is not particularly prevalent among runners compared with some other athletic populations. If running aggravates your symptoms, adjusting distance, intensity or terrain may allow you to remain active while improving your strength and tolerance.
4. Can weak glutes cause lower back pain when running?
Reduced gluteal strength or endurance may contribute to changes in how your hips, pelvis and trunk manage running loads. However, lower back pain rarely has one simple cause, and weak glutes aren't necessarily responsible for every runner's symptoms. An assessment can help determine whether hip strength, spinal movement, training load or other factors are contributing. Exercises such as bridges, single-leg strengthening and controlled hip movements may be useful as part of rehabilitation.
5. How can I stop lower back pain from returning when I run?
Reducing recurring lower back pain usually involves addressing the factors contributing to your symptoms. This may include gradually progressing your running distance, improving trunk and hip strength, reviewing your running mechanics and allowing adequate recovery between demanding sessions. If symptoms continue despite these changes, a chiropractic assessment can help identify movement-related limitations, assess spinal and neurological function and develop an individualised management plan.
Key Takeaways: Lower Back Pain When Running
Lower back pain during or after running can develop from increasing training demands, muscular fatigue, changes in spinal and hip movement, and sensitivity in the structures supporting the lumbar spine.
Running isn't inherently bad for your back. Your spine is designed to tolerate movement and adapt to progressive loading.
Your hips and spine work together. Hip mobility, pelvic movement and lumbar function contribute to how your body manages each stride.
Strength and endurance matter. Your glutes, abdominal muscles and spinal extensors help coordinate movement throughout a run.
Your nervous system matters. Proprioception contributes to balance, movement coordination and your body's response to changing surfaces.
Chiropractic can help. Spinal adjustments, functional movement assessment, rehabilitation and training advice can support the management of mechanical lower back pain.
You don't always need to stop running. Appropriate training modifications can help you remain active while rebuilding physical capacity.
At Nomad Chiropractic in Mosman, we provide individualised chiropractic care for runners and active adults experiencing lower back pain, helping them improve spinal function, manage discomfort and return to running with greater confidence.
Want to learn more? Book a FREE 15min discovery call with an experienced sports chiropractor near me: Book HERE
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Maselli, F., et al. (2020). Prevalence and incidence of low back pain among runners: A systematic review. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 21, 343. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-020-03357-4
Heiderscheit, B. C., Chumanov, E. S., Michalski, M. P., Wille, C. M., & Ryan, M. B. (2011). Effects of step rate manipulation on joint mechanics during running. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 43(2), 296–302. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181ebedf4
Haavik, H., & Murphy, B. (2012). The role of spinal manipulation in addressing disordered sensorimotor integration and altered motor control. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, 22(5), 768–776. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jelekin.2012.02.012
Rubinstein, S. M., et al. (2019). Benefits and harms of spinal manipulative therapy for the treatment of chronic low back pain: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. BMJ, 364, l689. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.l689
George, S. Z., et al. (2021). Interventions for the management of acute and chronic low back pain: Revision 2021. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 51(11), CPG1–CPG60. https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2021.0304
International Federation of Sports Chiropractic (FICS). International Certificate in Sports Chiropractic: Education and Clinical Competencies. FICS Education.
Australian Chiropractors Association (ACA). Sports & Exercise Chiropractic: Professional Education and Recognition. ACA Sports & Exercise Chiropractic
Nelson, L. The Sports Chiro: Running Gait Analysis, Sports Chiropractic and Rehabilitation. Professional clinical education resource. The Sports Chiro.
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This article provides general educational information and does not replace individual healthcare advice, diagnosis or treatment. Running-related lower back pain can have several causes, and appropriate management depends on your symptoms, medical history and clinical assessment. Chiropractic adjustments, rehabilitation exercises and training modifications should be tailored to individual needs. Seek appropriate medical assessment for severe, persistent or worsening symptoms, particularly where neurological changes occur. Individual responses to chiropractic care and exercise rehabilitation vary.
Lets keep you moving.