Runner’s Health

As you run across town and country, we urge you to not let your posture fall by the wayside. We are going to take a look at the runner’s perfect form, in hopes that you will keep these tips in mind to minimize the damage to spinal joints and enjoy maximum benefit from your exercise:

Stay upright!

Let your head take the lead. Your head is the main determinant in your overall posture. Facing forward will encourage your head to stay centered above the spine, keeping its weight properly balanced as you run.

With the head faced forward, the rest of the body will follow. The neck and spine will naturally remain in a straight, neutral posture. Keep your shoulders loose and do not let them creep up toward your ears; if you catch your shoulders creeping, take a deep breath and shake out the tension. As you run further, fight the urge to tilt the head forward or down towards the feet, as pretty as they may be.

Hips are your center of gravity. With an upright spine, the torso and hips should naturally face forward. Staying upright prevents your pelvis from tilting forward, which can cause lower back pain.

For all of its advantages (and there are many), running is very traumatic to joints in the legs and back. Your body has built in shock absorbers that are made to withstand a reasonable amount of trauma, but running daily on concrete is not conducive to a healthy back.

If your back is aching after a run, do not ignore your body’s warning sign. Running further without addressing the problem will simply compound the injury. At Family Chiropractic & Spinal Health Care Center, we offer treatment modalities that can correct the damage.

Call our offices in New Jersey: in Ramsey at (201) 995-9900 and in Passaic at (973) 471-9585.

Dr. Moe Abtahi, D.C.