Sports, health & fitness often involve running. Most research suggest prolonged running with poor technique or practices can lead to a range of musculoskeletal issues, injuries or pains. An Australian study found running can be good for your back.
Running For a Better Back – Per the study at hand, by the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition in Victoria. Researchers in early 2017 introduced a world first scientific investigation on running and its impact on the disc within the lower back joints.
The paper has investigated and compared a group of long distance runners and a group of joggers and compared their disc integrity and contents. The paper concluded, those individuals who run have healthier discs. For those brainiac’s out there, the study showed that healthier discs would have:
- Greater glucosaminology in the disc
- Greater disc hydration in the disc
- Hypertrophy of the disc
What does this mean and what are the important points in this paper?
- The longer you run, the better the disc strength and lifespan
- The long distance running group had healthier discs then the group of joggers
- The effect was greatest for the most problematic joints in the lower spine
- Physiotherapists can provide very specific program consisting of structured running as part of a home program and exercise
Want to know more? PROHEALTH PHYSIO are experts in exercise prescription and physiotherapy management for lumbar spine and disc related injuries.
[Reference] Belavy, D. L., Quittner, M. J., Rodgers, N., Ling, Y., Connell, D. & Rantalainen, T. (2017). Running exercise strengthens the intervertebral disc. Scientific Reports, 7, 1-8.