Running with Loose Skin... Advice?

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keladry89
keladry89 Posts: 42 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I've gone from 273 to about 186 now and I have some loose skin... all over really. I've tried to find tips for running with it but mostly what I find are people asking about how to get rid of it. I know it will shrink back or not, and I'm not done loosing, but what I want is to be able to keep running and it is killing my back. The loose stomach skin and fat flops and flops around. My thigh blob is managed with running tights, and long sleeves help with arm chaffing, and compression tights and a top (although I am forever pulling this down) help enough so that I can run without it hurting, but after my run my back is so sore. I'm really frustrated because one of the reasons I really stuck with losing weight was because my back was sore from my (at the time) huge breasts. Does anyone have any other tips for dealing with the loose skin while running? Even the slightest improvement would help. I just want to be able to keep running all the way to goal weight... is that unrealistic? Right now I have cut back on how fast I run because running more slowly seems to help because it's just not wrenching around as much, and just running less often. Like I said any advice, commiseration is totally welcome, hah

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Replies

  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    I've never had the issue, but I would guess compression clothes should help, but sounds like you've already tried that. Maybe athletic tape?
  • KimberlyinMN
    KimberlyinMN Posts: 302 Member
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    Compression clothing. When you hold up the pants or shirt, you'll wonder, "How the heck will I get THIS on." It's kind of like Spanx, but for exercisers. :) I went from 338 to 180 and love wearing them. Old Navy has them as well as more "elite" brands.
  • Nekrachael
    Nekrachael Posts: 74 Member
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    Mostly on your back? Upper or lower? Do you live somewhere where you can comfortable run in more clothes?
  • keladry89
    keladry89 Posts: 42 Member
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    Compression clothes help, but I can't get the shirt to not ride up and my back is still really sore from my my belly blob twisting about (but it *is* better, just not better enough to run everyday : [ ). The loose skin on my back isn't a problem, the back pain caused by my belly blob is. I don't know if just waiting it out is a good bet, or if I loose enough more weight my belly will weigh less and wrench less... but as we all know, it comes off how it comes off...
  • getalife9353
    getalife9353 Posts: 100 Member
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    I really don't know if it will help but if was me, I would look into some core strength training. Both for abdominal and lower back. Planks, Crunches, back hyperextensions, etc..
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
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    getalife9353 wrote: »
    I really don't know if it will help but if was me, I would look into some core strength training. Both for abdominal and lower back. Planks, Crunches, back hyperextensions, etc..

    I was going to say heavy lifting because squats and deads sorted out some back issues I had, but yeah - same basic idea.

    I wonder - has there ever been a time that your back has not hurt since you started losing weight? If not, maybe it's not the loose skin, but that your back never healed? Maybe because of lingering posture issues (compensating)? I think maybe a visit to a physical therapist or similar professional who can evaluate your physiology would be worth a try.
  • VegasFit
    VegasFit Posts: 1,232 Member
    edited December 2014
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    I follow this blog and she posted about this topic.http://imperfectlife.net/ask-andrea-what-do-you-do-about-loose-skin-and-chafing/
    Congrats on your loss!
  • CMDder
    CMDder Posts: 1 Member
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    I have no experience, but have you considered a compression tri-suit, or a cycling bib? They might hold in all the bits...
  • keladry89
    keladry89 Posts: 42 Member
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    As I lost weight my back hurt less and less. And then at ~235 I had some loose skin and still large breasts. And my back hurt more for the first time since losing weight. I stopped losing for a bit (not really intentionally) and once the skin pulled back in a bit... my back only hurt when I was PMSing. I didn't have any significant back pain until about 200. Even my menstrual pain was lessening every month. And then gradually I could feel the blob wrenching as I ran -more and more as I got smaller and smaller. I bought tighter pants. I kept after my ab work outs (I don't do them as much as I should, but I do some). And my back started hurting again. And instead of getting better as I lost weight, it got worse. So I'm fairly confident that it's the loose skin/fat on my stomach. I can feel the torque when I run. And when I don't run, it doesn't hurt later. I don't want to stop loosing because I know from experience that plateaus happen on their own, I don't want to insert one artificially.

    It's good advice to work my core more, when I was fat fat that was my main method of pain management. I should do that, anyway, it's a good life choice. I haven't done much squatting so that's something that's easy enough to try, especially if I start with body weight squats, the weight room is intimidating, hah.

    It's also good advice to see a doctor. It might be prudent to get the back pain in the chart at the very least. I was planning on discussing it with my GP the next time I was in for something else.
  • handyrunner
    handyrunner Posts: 32,662 Member
    edited December 2014
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    You might also want to take a lool at your running form....there may be issues there. Right of the top of my head if your experiencing a torque in your torso i have to wonder are you pumping your arms across your chest rather than holding them at 90 degrees at your side. Whats your stride and foot impact look like..

    none of these may be the case but its certainly something you can look at.
  • keladry89
    keladry89 Posts: 42 Member
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    I had my gait analyzed when I get new running shoes and everything about my legs/hips was fine, they didn't look at my arms though, but my hips, stride everything was good: forefoot strike, five toes on, five toes off, not pronating, etc. I started working on my form a couple years ago when I started running more seriously. I have shin splints and I couldn't really run until I adjusted my form.

    Now as for my arms... they definitely move when I am running, not a ton, but they are moving. They didn't look at my arms when I had the gait analysis done, and running has made my upper arms larger in proportion to the rest of me (some of my old less fat clothes never fit me when I was losing weight because the arms were too small -but my arms still got smaller as I lost weight and ran more). I'll have to do some research. I was under the impression that you want to swing your arms, sort of natural like, but it's worth looking into more. Thanks!
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    We might be twins! I am just ten pounds heavier than you. I'm going to be back with more advice - google is my friend - but here's a product that has been very helpful with the chafing. http://www.bodyglide.com/
  • handyrunner
    handyrunner Posts: 32,662 Member
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    keladry89 wrote: »
    I had my gait analyzed when I get new running shoes and everything about my legs/hips was fine, they didn't look at my arms though, but my hips, stride everything was good: forefoot strike, five toes on, five toes off, not pronating, etc. I started working on my form a couple years ago when I started running more seriously. I have shin splints and I couldn't really run until I adjusted my form.

    Now as for my arms... they definitely move when I am running, not a ton, but they are moving. They didn't look at my arms when I had the gait analysis done, and running has made my upper arms larger in proportion to the rest of me (some of my old less fat clothes never fit me when I was losing weight because the arms were too small -but my arms still got smaller as I lost weight and ran more). I'll have to do some research. I was under the impression that you want to swing your arms, sort of natural like, but it's worth looking into more. Thanks!

    yes you should pump your arms...what im reference is..are you pumping them across your body, crisscrossing so to speak..this may be causing unecessary twising in your hips and torso... again its just something to look at as possible causes for your back pain
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    Luckily, very little back pain here. I might not be running at your pace yet. I am halfway through the C25K program. I feel it in my knees. My hips are shifting, too, due to changes in my shape. I can't find the clothing outlet I saw before but I know tight clothing close to the body will help.

    I do a yoga/chi combination class once a week which might be helping me with my core strength/flexibility. The Downward Facing Dog position handily got me out of the prone position at the pool the other day; pretty slick.
  • lyttlewon
    lyttlewon Posts: 1,118 Member
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    handyrunner wrote: »
    keladry89 wrote: »
    I had my gait analyzed when I get new running shoes and everything about my legs/hips was fine, they didn't look at my arms though, but my hips, stride everything was good: forefoot strike, five toes on, five toes off, not pronating, etc. I started working on my form a couple years ago when I started running more seriously. I have shin splints and I couldn't really run until I adjusted my form.

    Now as for my arms... they definitely move when I am running, not a ton, but they are moving. They didn't look at my arms when I had the gait analysis done, and running has made my upper arms larger in proportion to the rest of me (some of my old less fat clothes never fit me when I was losing weight because the arms were too small -but my arms still got smaller as I lost weight and ran more). I'll have to do some research. I was under the impression that you want to swing your arms, sort of natural like, but it's worth looking into more. Thanks!

    yes you should pump your arms...what im reference is..are you pumping them across your body, crisscrossing so to speak..this may be causing unecessary twising in your hips and torso... again its just something to look at as possible causes for your back pain

    And it's possible as a large chested woman you naturally hunch when you run. I have to concentrate on my upper body form to prevent back pain when I run.
  • keladry89
    keladry89 Posts: 42 Member
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    I hope I don't hunch! Well at least not while I am running. One of the things I focused on when I was getting my form down was keeping my shoulders above the hips and pulled back, not hunched over. I can tell when I need a new sports bra because I have to actually remind myself to pull my shoulders back when it's getting worn out. That's not a bad idea, it's just something that I fixed about two years ago.

    I actually don't know if my arms cross the midline, I have some old video of me running somewhere, but I should probably get someone to take some new so I can see what I'm doing now. I'll ask the boyfriend even though I would rather him not see me running ever hahahah.

    Maybe it's helpful to know how fast I'm running? My mile time is around 7:30, my last 5K was around 28:30 and my 6-7 mile runs take like 1:15:00 but they are very relaxed. When my problems started I was doing two long runs, one-two 5Ks (with some sprints embedded) and a mile run with cross training. Basically I was running nearly (but not actually) every day. I didn't rapidly increase the speed or distance or anything like that. Now I run about every other day and I haven't done a mile trial in a few weeks. I have still been sprinting, about once a week, but obviously sprinting is more arms than not sprinting is so there may be something there.

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