To Avoid Low Back Pain, Runners Should Think Deep
According to an article in PT In Motion, 14% of runners experience low back pain each year!! But they can reduce their risk by developing their deep core muscles. They state that “while many fitness enthusiasts focus on their abs, they may neglect muscles they can’t see.”
They used motion-capture technology to create simulations in which they weakened the deep core muscles. They found that when the deep core muscles are weak, superficial back muscles tend to overcompensate (think mid back muscles along your spine).
The authors concluded that when the deep core muscles were weak, there was a significant increase in both compressive and shear spinal loading in the upper back, with a decrease in the lower back. The authors warn “over time, this could result in damage to the spine and increase the risk of injury.”
This study was specifically looking at running, but I think it’s safe to say that deep core strength can help prevent compensations for other activities in our daily life, as well as other sports.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29249454
http://opensim.standford.edu
— Korey Pieper, DPT, OCS, CCI