Running has been one of the most popular sports for years. There are many positive associations with jogging:health, fitness, discipline and much more. But does jogging also have a positive effect on your back health? Jogging offers many positive benefits:the cardiovascular system is strengthened, stress hormones are reduced and the immune system is strengthened. Just to name a few of the many benefits associated with running. Here we give tips to get rid of back pain while running and to ensure more walking comfort.
Beginners in particular should take their time in the beginning and not set the goals too high. Enduring running requires regular training and above all patience, because every beginning is difficult. To protect your back and prevent injuries, we recommend a slow start with alternating running sections. Gradually you can then increase the jogging sections so that your muscles, tendons and ligaments get used to it. In principle, you should always start slowly to warm up your body and prevent injuries. After breaking in (about 10 minutes for beginners) it is important that you find your own pace, which of course always has to do with your individual fitness. Intermittent tempo changes provide a bit of variety and performance gain in the long run. In short: in any case, you should always feel comfortable with the respective walking pace. And give your body rest at least two days a week to repair itself.
It is not uncommon for inexperienced people to experience back pain during or after jogging. One of the most common causes for this is displacement in the hollow back. The pelvis tilts forward and the lower back comes into an unusually strong bulge – so pain and tension are quickly unavoidable. It is therefore extremely important that you strengthen your core muscles in the long term, because they act as an opponent of the back muscles, support the back and provide the necessary stabilization. Additional exercises are helpful so that the core of the body can handle this task. This includes, for example, the forearm support or plank.
When it comes to the right running style, opinions differ. But again, everyone runs differently and there is no such thing as the “right” running style. It is only important that the execution is good and orthopedic problems are excluded. The keywords cushioning, heel hold and rolling behavior are decisive here and the ultimate in running.
A running analysis at a sporting goods store can help to make sure of this. Here you get extra information about the right footwear that should certainly not be too tight to give the foot room to work. Running soles, which distribute pressure evenly and absorb shock, can be a useful addition to the equipment. Once you've found your running style, you usually need to stick to it and pay attention to variable training. These are, for example, special running ABC exercises such as skipping, high knees or side jumps or running on different surfaces. Those who have the opportunity to walk on forest paths through nature, not only find relaxation in a new environment, but also do something good for the flexibility of tendons and joints due to changing surfaces. Due to the various stimuli that act on the body, the stabilizing muscles are constantly stimulated with new impulses. The flexibility of the tendons, body awareness and balance can permanently improve.
Another nice feature of running is that hardly any equipment is needed:only clothing and good running shoes are required. And then it can begin!
To give (new) beginners a brief overview of the subject of jogging, here is a checklist with points of attention before and during jogging:
The right footwear
Warm up
Find the individual pace
Avoid training that is too intense
Regularity
