Episode 26 - Why Runners Get Upper Back Pain – and the Best Ways to Prevent It

Episode Summary:

In this episode, Alison discusses her experience with neck and back pain during long runs and speed work while training for a half marathon. She explains how poor posture, like hunching over and forward head posture, contributes to these pains. Alison shares the strategies she used to address these issues, including breathwork exercises like hooklying breathing and diaphragmatic breathing, along with strength training that focuses on maintaining a proper "stack" posture. She also touches on the differences in posture and breathing between slower-paced runs and speed work, recommending similar post-workout resets for both. Alison also highlights her course, Breathe to Perform, which teaches breathing techniques for better oxygen efficiency and improved fitness. She encourages listeners to check out the course and share the podcast if they found the information helpful.

Key Takeaways:

• Posture and Breath Connection to Pain – Alison identified that her neck and back pain after long runs stemmed from hunching over, which compressed the ribcage and led to inefficient breathing and muscle strain.
• Pre-Run, Mid-Run, and Post-Run Adjustments – She incorporated breathwork (hook-lying breathing) pre-run, maintained an upright posture and diaphragmatic breathing mid-run, and used post-run relaxation techniques to reset her body.
• Breath Training for Performance – She emphasized the importance of breathwork in running efficiency, recommending exercises such as rock-back breathing and a course called "Breathe to Perform" to help runners optimize their oxygen use and posture.
  
  

Time Stamps:

[00:00] - Introduction & Personal Update

[01:37] - Neck & Back Pain During Long Runs

[05:12] - Strategies to Address Long-Run Discomfort

[11:44] - Neck Pain During Speed Work & Causes

[17:23] - Recovery & Training Adjustments

Resources Mentioned:

• Hooklying Breathing Video
• Sucker Punch Rockback Breathing
• Breath to Perform: Breath to Perform will help you understand the science behind your breath and put some simple breathing exercises into practice that have the potential to take your running performance to the next level.

Quotes:

•  "It’s not just about endurance in your legs—it’s about endurance in your posture. The moment you start hunching over, your breathing gets shallow, and everything downstream starts to hurt."
  
•  "If your ribs are flaring and your mouth is wide open trying to gasp for air, your neck is working overtime. And trust me, your neck was not designed to be your backup breathing muscle."
  
•  "Your training doesn’t end when your run does. If you don’t teach your body how to reset and recover, those same bad habits will show up the next time you lace up."
  
  

Follow Along Between Episodes on Instagram and if you enjoyed this episode please give a share and tag me in your stories!