Ever head out for a run, only to be stopped by that familiar low back pain?You’re not alone. Low back pain while running is one of the most searched topics by recreational and competitive runners alike—and for good reason.
Let’s break down why your lower back might be screaming at you every time you lace up those shoes.
Why Runners Get Low Back Pain
When your running form is off, your body feels it. And your lower back? It often takes the hit. Here’s what’s going on behind the scenes:
Anterior pelvic tilt: One of the most common culprits. Think of it as your pelvis tipping forward—like you’re constantly sticking your butt out. It creates an exaggerated arch in your lower back that gets worse with impact.
Weak core & glutes: Without a strong support system, your lower back picks up the slack.
Tight hip flexors & hamstrings: They shift your pelvic alignment, leading to poor posture and inefficient running.
Your lower back is your body’s shock absorber when you run
Every step sends force up through your feet, legs, and hips—and your low back takes the hit if your mechanics are off.
When your core is weak, there’s nothing to stabilize that force. That means your lower back ends up doing all the work it was never built to do. Over time, that extra load leads to irritation, stiffness, and—you guessed it—low back pain when running.
Strengthening your core builds a solid support system so your spine doesn’t get crushed with every stride.
What Poor Posture Looks Like When Running
Watch someone with low back pain run and you’ll often see:
A swayback posture or exaggerated lower back curve
Stiff or bouncy stride
Over-arched lower back with minimal hip extension
Shoulders slightly hunched forward
Over time, this running posture overloads your spine and keeps your muscles firing the wrong way.
How It Affects Your Body
Low back pain doesn’t like to stay in one place:
You might feel pain running down your leg—a possible sign of nerve irritation.
Your hips, knees, and anklesmay start compensating.
You lose power in your stride and shorten your runs to avoid pain.
If left untreated, this cascade can lead to long-term dysfunction, chronic pain, and overuse injuries in other joints.
How to Run Without Wrecking Your Low Back
Focus on form: Think tall spine, slight forward lean from the ankles (not the hips), and strong core engagement. If you find yourself excessively arching your low back, gently tuck your tailbone in and engage your core.
Engage your core while running: Gently pull your belly button towards your spine and slightly pull the bottom of your ribs towards your pelvis to prevent your ribs from flaring and to fire up your core increasing stabilization around your lumbar spine.
Breathwork matters: Shallow breathing equals tension. Practice deep belly breaths to relax your trunk and stabilize your spine.
Exercises to Strengthen Your Running Posture
1) Transversus abdominus (TA) strengthening
This targets your deep core muscles which is important for proper running form
How to do it:
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat.
Flatten your lower back against the floor by gently tilting your pelvis upward and drawing your belly button down.
Hold this for 5-10 seconds.
Should feel a tightening of muscle between the two bony parts of your pelvis.
Do not hold your breath. You should be able to breathe normally while working through this exercise.
Relax and return to the starting position
Perform 10 times X 3 sets.
2) Glute bridges – activate and strengthen glutes
This exercise strengthens your glutes - muscles that are vital to achieve proper form when running.
How to do it:
Lay on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor at hip width distance
Pull your belly button down towards the floor, squeeze your glutes and lift your hips up
Hold for 5 seconds at the top squeezing your glutes
Lower down to start position
Repeat 10 X 10 reps, 5 sec hold
Consistency is key. Doing these daily—even if just for 5–10 minutes—can completely shift your mechanics.
3) Dead bugs
This exercise strengthens your core, promotes stability, and reinforces controlled pelvic movement.
How to do it:
Lying on your back bring your arms up and knees up to 90 degrees
Pull your belly button towards your spine and gently tuck your tailbone to engage your core
Slowly straighten on leg out and lower it down towards the floor
Do not allow your low back to arch
Exhale and bring your leg back up to 90 degrees
Perform on other side and continue alternating sides
3 X 12 reps
4) Bird Dog
This exercise strengthens your core and promotes stability.
How to do it:
Begin on your hands and knees.
Pull your belly button towards your spine to engage your core and hold this throughout the exercise.
Extend your right arm and left leg simultaneously, keeping your back flat.
Hold for 1-2 seconds, then switch sides.
Perform 8-10 reps on each side X 3 sets
5) Hip flexor stretches
This stretch targets the muscle at the front of your hip that when tight, can pull your pelvis forward into an anterior pelvic tilt.
How to do it:
Start in a low lunge with your back knee on the floor. This will be the side you are stretching.
Gently tuck your tailbone and hold here. You may feel a stretch at the front of your hip already with this tuck.
Shift your weight forward to increase the stretch. Keep your tailbone tucked.
Sidebend your trunk away to increase the stretch even more.
Hold for 20-30 seconds
Repeat 2-3 times
6) Seated Piriformis Stretch
This stretch targets deep muscles in your glutes that can pull on your lower back causing tension.
How to do it:
Sit on a chair with your feet flat on the ground.
Place your one ankle on your opposite knee.
Lean forward gently, keeping your back straight, until you feel a stretch in your glutes of the leg that is bent.
Hold for 20–30 seconds, then switch sides.
If You Ignore It…
Don’t wait for things to get worse. If left untreated, anterior pelvic tilt and low back pain can turn into:
Sciatica
IT band syndrome
Degenerative Disc Disease
Hip pain
Knee pain
Poor performance or fear-based movement patterns
Inefficient running
How Therapy X Can Help
This isn’t a one-treatment-fits-all issue. That’s why our collaborative approach works so well:
Physiotherapy: For personalized movement analysis and targeted strength + mobility plans. Functional training to build proper movement patterns and running mechanics with longevity in mind.
Chiropractic: To address spinal alignment and relieve tension on irritated nerves.
Massage Therapy: Helps release chronic tension in hip flexors, hamstrings, and lumbar fascia.
Fascial Stretch Therapy: Deep, guided stretching to correct muscle imbalances and free up your hips.
Whether you’re training for your next 10K or just trying to run pain-free, we’ve got a full team behind you.
Not sure which service to book in with for an assessment? Physiotherapy is a great way to get your treatment plan started. Upon a thorough assessment with your physiotherapist, if they find that it’s indicated you would benefit from treatment with a different service, they will appropriately refer you on and collectively, your team of healthcare professionals will be working closely together with you to fix the root cause of your low back pain while running.
Summary
Low back pain when running is usually caused by poor posture, muscle imbalances, and anterior pelvic tilt.
Strengthen your core and glutes. Stretch your hips and hamstrings. Fix your form.
Left unchecked, it can lead to other injuries.
Don’t guess—get a full-body treatment plan with the Therapy X team.
Bottom Line: Don't Wait to Get Assessed
Low back pain when running may start more as a nagging issue then an injury, however, without proper care, it can lead to chronic pain, compensatory movement patterns, and injury to other body parts. Early assessment and treatment get you back running more efficiently and symptom-free.
If you’re experiencing low back pain when running or even walking long distances, book an appointment today—your future depends on it.
Book Your Appointment Now
Our expert team of physiotherapists, chiropractors, registered massage therapists, fascial stretch therapists, and kinesiologists are here to help you recover quickly and effectively.
