Usually, after a long run, you probably expect to feel pain in the lower part of the body, especially in the legs. But for some reason, you feel pain in the upper back. Pain in the upper back after a long run is a very common problem. As the distance you run increases, many runners begin to experience a sharp pain in the area between or under the shoulder blades. The feeling is quite tolerable, but it can quickly get annoying, as you understand that you still have to run.

Most often this kind of pain is experienced by beginners, especially those who are engaged in running without a coach. This happens for several reasons: the wrong technique of running, poor posture and weak back muscles.

High Load on the Back

Since the whole body works during the run, not only the legs but also the body gets tired towards the end of a long workout. As a result, the head begins to outpace the body, stretches forward, we begin to slouch. The head, which is in front of our body, gives an additional load on the back, that’s why you feel back pain.

This can be compared to a bowling ball on a stick. As soon as you tilt the ball forward a little, the load is immediately felt - to keep it balanced becomes much more difficult. And with the head: our body has to include in its function a lot more muscles than when it is in the correct position.

Wrong Hand Position While Running

We can hold them either too high or too close to the body. This usually happens when we start to get tired: the shoulders rise up and excessive tension appears in them. In addition to this, some people start waving their arms too much from side to side, and some, on the contrary, keep them too tense and immobile. Do not swing your arms too much. They should move along the correct trajectory: the fist is at the level of your thigh and then rises to the level of the elbow of the second bent arm.

Not Only Your Back May Hurt

The fact that you feel pain in certain places doesn’t mean at all that they really ache. When the fascia at the bottom of the spine is stretched, it causes a backlash in the opposite shoulder. It is possible that the pain in the upper back while running is caused by problems, the source of which are much lower.

There are also studies that show that the hypersensitive nerves located directly under the skin can be the cause of the pain. Due to the constantly repeated movements during the run, these nerves can become bogged down in the skin tissue, resulting in irritation and unpleasant pain.

Ph Change

Changes in the level of acidity can lead to the production of lactic acid. The more you run, the stronger your muscles get tired, the more lactic acid accumulates in your body, the stronger the reaction of nerves and pain. There are special gels that restore the pH, and acupressure, which helps the nerves. However, these are only aids, without which we again encounter the main problem - a weak back and improper running technique.

Sedentary Work and Smartphones

Most runners, besides professional athletes and coaches, are ordinary people who spend most of their workday at the office table or constantly do something on their smartphones. They often hunch, and this gives an additional load on the cervical spine, shoulder girdle and back. And if we are able to more or less cope with our posture while walking, then while running, we can’t control it.