Old back injury niggles

[Pandarina]

I'm after a bit of advice from the community. I have completed up to w4r1 and loved every bit of it, I even went off to my local running shop for a gait assessment and some lovely new shoes in anticipation of w5. Then overnight, as is usually the case when this happens, my old back injury has flared up. This happens once or twice a year on average, my lower back muscles go into spasm and it takes a few days to gradually wear off with stretching, back exercises and not sitting still for too long. I find standing and walking painful and have to take regular anti-inflammatory painkillers and push myself to walk and it eventually eases off. The advice from my GP has always been to keep moving as much as possible even if it hurts. So my question is this - when and how do I start running again? Do I try and run as soon as possible, dosed up with painkillers or do I wait until the pain is back to it's usual low-level grumbling? Then when I try and run do I crack on with w4r2 or drop back to w3? I'm gutted and really missing my running today.

[Hidden]

I don't know the answer to your question and would suggest that you need to consult a physio. In the mean time (if you don't already) you could work on some core strengthening exercises (have a look on t'internet; there's loads of advice and demonstrations). This will help support your back in the long term, making future flare ups less likely.

[Pandarina in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Helen, I already have a great back exercise routine from the physiotherapist but will look in case there is anything else I can add in. I'm actually quite used to dealing with my back, but not at all used to running or how my back injury will effect it. I think I naively hoped that running might help stop my flare ups!

[ArthurJG Graduate]

If you need painkillers to run, you probably shouldn’t be running. Unless it was something totally unrelated like toothache or whatever. But back pain? No, pain is how your body warns you of actual or potential injury. You risk making it worse if you mask the pain in order to run.

The good news is a week or even two weeks’ rest doesn’t cause much loss of condition so if your injury clears up in its normal timescale you’ll then be able to pick up C25k from where you left off.

[Pandarina in reply to ArthurJG]

Thank you, that sounds very encouraging. I think what is confusing me is that the treatment for my injury is to take the painkillers and force myself to move and walk even if it hurts. My gut is telling me to wait to run.

[ArthurJG Graduate in reply to Pandarina]

Ah - I see where you’re coming from. The advice you are getting and your gut instinct are probably both correct. The particular issue with running is that it is high impact, leaving the ground and then dropping your whole body weight on to one foot over a hundred times a minute. That’s why the programme insists on rest days between runs and why you need a longer rest now but that only means rest from running. You can keep moving by walking or swimming as these are low impact forms of exercise.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

If it’s only a few days, I say don’t run. Running is high impact and could prolong the pain. Other movement is great, like your doctor says, keep moving. Your next run will still be here next week.

Get well soon