You have indicated that you have a back injury

Below are some specific descriptions of symptoms related to a running back injury or back pain.

Decide which description most closely matches the back problem you are experiencing then click on
the button next to it. You will be presented with a likely diagnosis for your back injury and advice as to
what to do.

You can diagnose other running injuries here.

  • Step 1
  • Step 2
  • Step 3 - current step
  • Step 4

Click on the description that most closely matches your symptoms:

Symptom 1

Select symptom
  • A dull pain over a wider area of the back during running (more of a general ache than a specific pain).
  • Tiredness and stiffness in the lower back which gets worse during the day especially if you are standing for a long period of time.
  • Pain and a feeling of strain in the lower back after lifting heavy things.

Symptom 2

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  • A slow insidious onset of low back pain, normally on one side more than the other.
  • There is normally no leg pain, nor any numbness or tingling, but there may be buttock pain.
  • The most painful movements are bending backwards and bending to one side.
  • Turning over in bed may be a bit difficult.
  • Running worsens the pain, although may not stop you from running.

Symptom 3

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  • A sudden onset of disabling low back pain, normally on one side more than the other.
  • Often the muscle spasm pulls you over to one side, so you look crooked in the mirror.
  • It normally doesn’t happen whilst running, with a popular scenario being – “I just bent over to tie my shoe laces and my back went and I couldn’t move”.
  • There is normally no leg pain, nor any numbness or tingling, but there may be buttock pain.
  • The most painful movements are bending backwards and bending to one side.
  • Turning over in bed is difficult.
  • Pain may be worse in the morning, getting a little better as the day progresses, although this is not always the case.

Symptom 4

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  • A sudden sharp pain in the back whilst running, most probably during speed work or hill sprints.
  • The back muscles will go into spasm, and will be painful when trying to stretch (i.e. touching your toes) or contract them (i.e. lying on your back with your legs straight and trying to lift your buttocks off the floor.
  • There may be swelling and bruising.
  • If the strain or tear is severe a gap in the muscle may be felt at the area of pain.
  • You may get sudden twinges of pain on each step when you walk.
  • Often all movements are difficult, especially bending forward, or turning over in bed.

Symptom 5

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  • Pain in the low back, normally of a gradual onset, but can be sudden.
  • Tenderness in the muscles of the low back, normally at one or two specific (trigger) points, although the muscles can be so tense that these specific points may not be felt.
  • Tightness, or muscular spasm in the low back when running.
  • Whilst running, walking or using stairs the back may feel weak and uncoordinated.
  • Stretching the low back (ie touching toes) may be painful.
  • You may feel referred pain into one or two points in the buttocks or even further up the back, especially whilst pressing the trigger points.
  • You may get a twitching of the muscles of the lower back or buttock.

Symptom 6

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  • Pain located either to the left or right of your lower back, over one of the two ‘knobbly’ bones at the base of your spine about two inches either side of the spine.
  • The pain can range from a dull ache to a sharp pain which can restrict movement and prevent you from running.
  • The pain may radiate out into your buttocks and low back and may also radiate to the front into the groin.
  • Occasionally it is responsible for pain in the testicles in men.
  • Occasionally there may be referred pain into the lower limbs which can be mistaken for sciatica, but tends to be more to the outside of the thigh and ankle bone rather than down the back of the thigh as in sciatica.
  • Difficulty turning over in bed, struggling to put on shoes and socks and pain getting your legs in and out of the car.
  • Stiffness in the lower back when getting up after sitting for long periods and when getting up from bed in the morning.
  • Aching to one side of your lower back when driving long distances.

Symptom 7

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  • Normally (but not exclusively) a sudden onset of pain on the side of your waist, on the edge of the  bone that forms your waist.
  • You may find it difficult to walk properly and almost certainly find it difficult to run.
  • You may feel swelling in the area.
  • There is a specific area on the edge of the bone that is very tender.
  • Standing on one leg may produce pain, and it is likely that hopping on the affected leg will feel painful.