Back pain after "long run"

RunningAggie

Today I did a run:walk (3min run:2 min walk) for 13 km. This is the farthest I've gone and I was very proud of myself, even if my "run" is someone else's "jog" and maybe even someone's "walk". At km 10 I walked the rest of the way b/c my tendonitis was acting up. I got home and everything was fine. I was pretty stiff but that went away fairly quickly. I spent the afternoon playing with my two year old (we were on the floor playing with cars and outside watering the flowers). I felt fine. Four hours after I finish my run I'm walking up the stairs and my lower back started seizing up on me. It hurts so bad right now to stand straight. Did the back pain stem from the run? I didn't pick up my 2 year old or carry anything heavy today. I felt like I really accomplished something today with my run and now... Does anyone have any ideas on if the run caused the back pain or what I can do for it?

Thanks!

emmaleigh47

It doesnt sound like the run caused the back pain ... because you didnt have it during or immediately after the run!

I am sooo proud of you for what you have accomplished. Just be nice to yourself tonight, take some ibuprofen, and see how you feel tomorrow.

Do NOT give up on your running!!

run_momma_run

I think if it was directly related to the run you would have felt it during the run. So perhaps it was directly related to the way you walked up the stairs?? Your back muscles are already fatigued from the run, so it really could be from pretty much anything...

I think you're supposed to alternate cold & heat on your back in the first 24 hours after an injury. You might want to google search for specific instructions, since it's been so long that I have forgotten...

Hope your back is feeling better soon!!

RunningAggie

Thank you both so much for the advice. I was so concerned that it was the run that did it and that made me very sad. It's not like I run fast (or anything resembling fast) but I didn't want to have to give up this running thing when I'm just getting into it. I'll see how it goes tonight and tomorrow. Hopefully it will be better - I can't get sidelined by an injury.

Samerah12

I used to have lower back pain after my runs and it sometimes didn't show up until the day after. I don't know exactly what caused it but I blame a combo of too much boob/inadequate sports bra and the fact that as I got tired my posture got bad, I wasn't standing up straight/shoulders back anymore, I started to hunch towards the end of my runs.

If you're worried about it do the "cat" and "cow" back stretches after you run (you can google them with the word "yoga" if you don't know what they are).

Major congrats on your run!!