Why does my lower back hurt when I workout legs

Table of Contents Show

Muscle Strain Injury
Spinal Disc Injury
Sciatic Nerve Pain
Spondylolisthesis in Athletes
Eight Common Exercise Mistakes That Cause Lower Back Pain
1. Not Knowing Your Pain Triggers
2. Not Warming up Before Your Workout
3. Not Stretching Adequately or at All Before Working Out
4. Beginning With Heavy Weights
5. Using Improper Form
6. Not Exercising Enough
7. Not Stretching After Your Workout
8. Exposing Yourself to Repetitive Stresses
How to Prevent Lower Back Pain When Working Out
1. Avoid Motions That Cause Pain
2. Set a Clear Exercise Routine
3. Strengthen or Train Your Lower Back Muscles
4. Start Slow
5. Don’t Make the Same Mistake Twice
6. Look out for Signs of a More Severe Problem
Exercises to Avoid With Lower Back Pain
2. High-Impact Aerobics
3. Standing Toe Touches
4. Exercises That Twist Your Spine
5. Superman Back Extensions
Experience Lower Back Pain Relief — Contact Us Today

Lower back pain can be caused by a strain or pull due to over-training, improper form while exercising, lack of knowledge about the sport you're engaging in.

Image Credit: microgen/iStock/GettyImages

If your back hurts during exercise, rest assured that you are not alone. Most injuries are caused by over-training, improper body mechanics, inadequate conditioning or a combination of these. Some occur due to pre-existing problems with your back or spine.

Fortunately, most back pain heals quickly, but some injuries persist or get worse. Contact your doctor if your back hurts for more than three days or you have numbness, tingling or weakness anywhere in your body or loss of bowel or bladder control.

Lower back pain can be caused by a strain or pull due to over-training, improper form while exercising, lack of knowledge about the sport you're engaging in.

Muscle Strain Injury

The most common cause of muscle pain during exercise is a strained muscle. This injury typically occurs when you overestimate your strength or fail to use proper body mechanics when you perform an exercise, such as a pull down or a dead lift, that puts stress on your back.

Muscle strains also occur during twisting, bending or reaching movements and are particularly common in golfers due to the compression forces placed on the back during a typical golf swing according to the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Even jazzercise can cause a strained muscle if you move the wrong way.

Although usually minor, these types of injuries cause inflammation, which leads to muscle spasms and severe pain. Icing the painful area and taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen may help the injury to heal more quickly, but the most important treatment is rest.

Spinal Disc Injury

The spinal column is made up of 24 bones, or vertebrae, which stabilize the back and protect the spinal cord according to the University of Washington Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine. Between these bones are gelatinous pads called intervertebral discs that help to facilitate movement of the spine and cushion the bones.

Under certain conditions, one or more of these discs may bulge, tear or slip out of place, causing nerve compression and severe pain. This often happens during contact sports such as football or when a basketball player jumps and then lands hard on his feet while twisting to block an opponent or make a shot.

It also can happen when you turn sideways while lifting a weight that is too heavy or if you fail to engage your core muscles during abdominal exercises such as crunches or leg lifts. Disc injuries typically resolve spontaneously with home remedies and rest followed by a program of strengthening exercises to stabilize your spine.

Or, if you're not confident of your own remedies, sign up for physiotherapy exercises for lower back pain. He might also prescribe back pain exercises you can do at home.

Sciatic Nerve Pain

Sciatica is a medical term that refers to pain caused by irritation of the sciatic nerve — a large nerve that originates in the lower back and continues down both legs and ends at the top of each foot according to the National Institute of Neurologic Disorders and Strokes.

Often caused by a bulging disc pressing on the nerve, sciatica is characterized by pain in the lower back, buttocks, thigh, knee or, less often, the foot. Running and jogging, especially without proper footwear, often cause sciatica due to the high-impact, repetitive stress these sports place on the lower back.

Learning good running form and warming up and stretching before you run are some of the best ways to keep sciatica at bay. Also, remember to replace your shoes when they begin to show signs of wear.

Spondylolisthesis in Athletes

One of the most common causes of back pain in younger athletes, spondylolisthesis is a condition in which one of the vertebrae slips behind or in front of the one below it, causing pain according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

This injury is common in people who participate in sports that require twisting or hyperextension of the spine, such as gymnastics or golf. Symptoms include back pain that gets worse when you arch your back, tightness in your hamstrings, weakness in your legs and — in severe cases — a limp.

Typically, home remedies such as ice packs and rest can help alleviate the pain, after which you can begin a program of exercises to increase stability in your spine. Many golfers also benefit from changing their golf swing.

Lower back pain is an overview term used to describe the pain you feel in the lumbar, or the lower portion of your spine. This type of back pain affects about 80 percent of adults and is the number one cause of job-related disability. Further, research shows nearly 10 percent of the population worldwide deals with back pain.

When experiencing back pain, you may be wondering if lower back pain while exercising is a good combination. Having an exercise routine is usually good for back pain, as long as you’re doing it correctly. Exercising with back pain is encouraged since it helps boost flexibility and strength, supports the back and promotes healing. However, you can make some common exercise mistakes that will make back pain worse.

To ensure you protect your back and benefit from your workout routine, always consult with your spine specialist first before you start or continue an exercise program when dealing with a back injury. They can go over the causes of lower back pain after exercise. In the meantime, here are eight exercise mistakes that cause back pain, along with tips to prevent lower back pain when exercising and what exercises to avoid with lower back pain.

Eight Common Exercise Mistakes That Cause Lower Back Pain

Can exercise cause lower back pain? In some of these cases, individuals caused their back pain by making exercise mistakes. If you’re asking yourself, “why does my back hurt when I exercise?” you could be making some common mistakes, such as the following eight.

1. Not Knowing Your Pain Triggers

If you’re experiencing lower back pain, the last thing you’ll want to do is go to the gym or start an intense exercise program and begin moving around with the mindset of “any exercise is great for me.” This is not a good plan. A better plan is to begin understanding what your pain triggers are.

Start a “pain trigger list” or write in a “pain journal.” Write down how your back feels before, during and after working out. By making a habit of logging your pain levels, you can begin understanding which exercises are triggering your pain. When you know this, you’ll be able to plan a workout around your pain triggers, providing you with relief and avoiding back pain altogether.

2. Not Warming up Before Your Workout

Not warming up before your exercise can not only worsen your back pain, but it may even cause new injuries. When muscles remain dormant or aren’t warmed up properly, they can become stiff and inflexible, which causes them to strain and tear when exposed to sudden, great exertion. Before you perform any exercise, always start with some low-impact, gentle warm-up exercises.

3. Not Stretching Adequately or at All Before Working Out

You can relieve back pain by strengthening your core muscles, but it’s not enough. You’ll want to do some full-body stretching since tight muscles can cause back pain. Pay particular attention to your hamstrings and hips. After each workout, take 10 minutes and stretch. Avoid static stretches at the start of your workout since they can impede your performance.

4. Beginning With Heavy Weights

Many injuries happen at the gym because the person lifted weights that were too heavy. While you should challenge your body’s performance, you’ll want to take small steps by starting with lighter weights and adding more weight gradually as you start mastering the exercise, especially if you’re a beginner.

5. Using Improper Form

A leading cause of back pain in the gym is poor form. Curving the back while you lift weights is the most common mistake. Overarching your back can also cause injury. Always keep your back straight or in its neutral position when you lift weights or heavy objects. When performing push-ups or planks, avoid sinking your hips.

6. Not Exercising Enough

When you move more, you don’t ache as much. Although most people aim to stay fit, a fundamental cause of lower back pain is lack of exercise, with weak core strength being the main culprit. According to a University of Sydney study, exercise combined with education decreases the risk of a lower back pain episode over the next year by 45 percent. Out of all ways of preventing back pain, exercise is the one with evidence supporting it.

7. Not Stretching After Your Workout

Always do some stretching after a workout. Stretching after you exercise can help prevent muscle fatigue and soreness from a lactic acid buildup in the muscles. Not to mention, stretching post-workout is less likely to aggravate or cause injuries since the muscles are pliable already.

8. Exposing Yourself to Repetitive Stresses

A lot of physical injuries don’t happen all of a sudden, but instead, over time are caused by performing the same motions repetitively. A good example is tennis elbow. If you perform the same exercises over and over, in the same way every time, or if you’re only focusing on one muscle group and not the others, you’re creating an imbalance that could lead to gradual inflammation and tearing.

Instead, develop a balanced exercise plan that changes your movements up from time to time and allows you to work for various muscle groups.

How to Prevent Lower Back Pain When Working Out

Lower back pain during a workout is common when you have a back injury, but it is possible to prevent lower back pain when exercising. Here are six suggestions to do just that.

1. Avoid Motions That Cause Pain

If you’re performing an exercise and your back starts hurting, stop performing that exercise. Jot it down on your list of “pain triggers” and avoid that exercise from now on.

Experiencing any pain while working out is a sign you should stop whatever it is you’re doing and rethink your plan. Your goal is to always be in a pain-free zone. If you leave that zone, it means you’re doing something that is causing you pain, even if you don’t have a back injury. If it doesn’t feel good or causes discomfort, stop doing it.

2. Set a Clear Exercise Routine

Once your back injury is to the point where you can work it out a bit harder, set the intention for the type of exercise you should do.

For instance, assess your pain level and decide if you can stick with the usual activity or if you’d be better off scaling it down a bit by performing an easier activity — for example, you may choose aquatic exercises or light stretching over running or lifting weights.

3. Strengthen or Train Your Lower Back Muscles

Your Lumbar region is located around the lower half of your torso and contains your lower back muscles and abdominal muscles. This region carries most of your bodyweight. It’s because of this that lower back pain is very common and why lower back muscle strengthening is important.

Injury prevention is the most obvious advantage of lower back strengthening. Lower back pain can occur from a sedentary lifestyle, bad posture or an active lifestyle. Gym, work and sports can also lead to lower back pain when the muscles are underdeveloped.

Even easy exercises like hiking, running or a basic ab routine can lead to pain in the lower back — ignoring the lower back while over developing the abs can cause injury. When you strengthen your lower back, it can help improve sport and gym performance.

4. Start Slow

After a back injury, your first workout should begin with gentle stretches to improve the flow of blood to your muscles, loosening and warming them up. Then, you can proceed to strength and range-of-motion training. If your pain doesn’t come back, you can gradually work up to performing low-impact, moderate aerobic exercises like walking long distances or swimming. Avoid high-impact activities like football or running until your injury has healed completely — and even then, start slow.

Before you return to a full-scale workout routine, you should consult with your doctor. However, you will see certain signs when your back is ready for you to get back to the gym. These are:

The absence of inflammation and pain in the injured area
A restored full range-of-motion
Muscle strength is back to normal

Getting to this point, however, is going to take some time. You don’t want to rush it, or you could end up with another injury and have to start rehabilitation all over again.

5. Don’t Make the Same Mistake Twice

When your doctor does tell you it’s fine to get back to physical activities, ensure you make the right adjustments to your exercise routine to avoid injuring yourself again. For instance, you need to address incorrect techniques and sub-par conditioning, whether you’re with a training partner or coach.

Avoid overusing muscle groups that lead to strains and fatigue. You might have to alter your exercise or training program to include more core strengthening exercises, lower back stretches and other changes your doctor or physical therapist recommends. Also, don’t make any sudden changes to your exercise program from one day to the next and educate yourself on ways you can prevent common injuries in your activity or sport.

6. Look out for Signs of a More Severe Problem

You might think you’ve completely recovered from back pain and injury, but all of a sudden, you’re experiencing pain that radiates down into your legs, or you’re suddenly experiencing nighttime back pain. You might have numbness or tingling in your extremities. Seek medical attention for these types of symptoms, as they could indicate a more serious medical issue.

Exercises to Avoid With Lower Back Pain

Certain movements will worsen your back pain, even if it seems like you’re helping to strengthen your back muscles. In general, here are five lower back pain exercises to avoid.

1. Sit-Ups

While sit-ups do help strengthen your abdominal muscles, they can also add a good deal of pressure on your spine. Try partial crunches instead. You can isolate your abdominal muscles better with these without risking lower back injury.

To do these, you lie on your back, bend your knees and keep your feet flat on the floor. Put your hands behind your neck, then raise your shoulders off the floor and tighten your abdominal muscles. Hold this position and lower your shoulders down slowly. Make sure your arms aren’t pulling your neck off the floor. Repeat this exercise the number of times suggested in your exercise plan.

2. High-Impact Aerobics

Although low-impact aerobics can help people with back pain, you should avoid high-impact aerobic exercise of any type. Running or jogging — particularly on hard surfaces — are two examples. Exercises that twist or jar the spine, certain types of dance and tennis are also examples.

If you’re not able to keep your spine in a straight position while working out, you might not be able to prevent pain and protect your back. You’ll also want to avoid any contact sports that put a lot of strain on your back and lead to lower back pain post-workout, such as soccer, volleyball, trampolining and snowboarding.

3. Standing Toe Touches

You should stretch to reduce muscle soreness after exercising and prevent injury since it’s quite common for hamstrings to be tight and contribute to back pain. But, standing toe touches might end up stretching your back more than your hamstrings and could aggravate your existing back injury.

Instead of toe touches, try towel hamstring stretches instead. For this exercise, you lie on your back and bend one knee, while wrapping a towel around your other foot. Use the towel to gently pull your leg up and straighten your knee. Hold the position for 20 seconds and do the same for the other leg. While performing this exercise, keep your back flat.

4. Exercises That Twist Your Spine

Yoga is often extremely helpful in building flexibility and strength, but certain movements — like forward folds and spinal twists — could aggravate your back injury. Twisting movements are typically aggravating to individuals with existing lower back problems, especially when performed with improper form. When performing these types of exercises, be careful, avoid movements that don’t feel right and listen to your body.

Your yoga instructor can provide modifications for certain poses if needed, so be sure to ask. Depending on your pain level, you might need to skip the yoga and try a different workout until your back injury heals.

5. Superman Back Extensions

Superman back extensions are where you lie face down, lift your legs and arms off the ground simultaneously and hold the position. This exercise causes a lot of people discomfort and can add stress to the lower back joints.

Try the bird-dog instead for strengthening and stabilizing the lower back while not overloading the spine. Begin on your hands and knees, engaging the muscles of your stomach. Lift one leg and extend it behind you at hip level. Don’t tilt your pelvis. Lift and extend the opposite arm to the level of your shoulder. Hold this position and go back to the starting position. Repeat this exercise eight to 12 times, then switch sides. Don’t sag your lower back when performing this exercise.

Remember not to be overly ambitious. A common misconception is that working out harder will bring faster results. When it comes to healing back pain, this isn’t true — even though our subconscious may guide us in this direction.

For instance, we may lift weights that are too heavy, exercise longer than we should or push ourselves further when our bodies are giving us a clear sign to slow down or stop. Being too impatient or ambitious can make things worse. Intensity is not the key to healthy exercise — consistency is. Work out smarter and regularly, and you will get much closer to easing your back pain for good.

Experience Lower Back Pain Relief — Contact Us Today

Following these suggestions above can help reduce lower back pain during exercise. If you find your back pain is intolerable with or without exercise, International Spine Institute can help. Our goal is to offer the least invasive procedure options for each patient’s individual needs. We tailor treatment to provide each of our patients with a quicker recovery and pain-free lifestyle.