Sounds obvious, doesn’t it? “uh, put on your daps and leg it down the road”. Not so much. I remember when I started running about 8 years ago. I had not long had my second baby (new Mums: do your Kegels) and wanted something which I could do any time of the day and which wouldn’t waste my valuable time by having to travel to do it.
So out I trundled, calling “back in half an hour” behind me as I flounced out of the door. Now, if you’re new to running, or can remember when you were new to running, you’ll appreciate my crushing disappointment when 2 minutes into my ‘run’ I was pretty much ready to drop.
So, you see, it’s not quite as simple as trotting off for a brisk 3 miles when you’ve never run before. But I did persevere and in the following 12 months completed both a 10k and half marathon. If ‘Mrs-I-can-only-run-for-2-minutes’ can do it, anyone can. As today marks 2 weeks until Simplyhealth’s Great Bristol 10k, here are my tips for anyone just starting out…
1. Don’t be disheartened
Arguably the most important point, keep in mind when you first start that it does take time. You may be one of the lucky ones who can bang out a 15-minute run when you start but then again, you may not. Keep the faith, log your progress and focus on your achievements along the way (I was ON TOP OF THE WORLD when I ran for 5 minutes non-stop).
2. Start with walk-run intervals
After a warm-up of a brisk walk, try running for 2 minutes and walking for 3. Next time, increase your run by 30 seconds and decrease your walk by the same amount. When you can run for 5 minutes (woo!) carry on with the intervals but this time only walk for a minute in between, increasing your running intervals until you feel comfortable enough to leave out the walking altogether.
3. Take it slowly
It does take time. Don’t try to force it and do too much too soon, or you will end up with an injury which will halt your running career before it even began. Listen to your body and don’t push yourself too far beyond your capabilities.
4. Rest
Once you start making progress and feeling the benefit, you may be tempted to run more often. ‘Runners High’ is a thing, and people do get addicted to that rush of endorphins you experience when you exercise. Great, if you stick to 3-4 runs a week but any more at this stage and you run the risk of overtraining and injury.
5. Get the right kit
All I would argue you need is a decent pair of trainers and some comfortable clothing (high-vis if you’re running in the dark. Safety first, kids). You don’t need to shell out on fancy gym-wear, but I would recommend the investment in a decent pair of running shoes, ideally from a specialist running shop but if not, aim for shoes designed for running (rather than cross-training). Getting the right support for your feet is important for both comfort and injury prevention.
6. Use motivation techniques
We all have those days when the sofa is way more appealing than getting out and pounding the streets, but psyche yourself up by using a great running soundtrack, running with friends or giving yourself a little reward for completing a run (I’m not talking a Mars Bar though, ok?)
And finally, enjoy it! Running can be great for both body and soul, with benefits which are way too numerous to mention. Get into your stride – geddit? – and you’ll never look back. If you’re not signed up yet, don’t forget to sign up for Simplyhealth’s Great Bristol 10k here, and for those of you with families, they do a much shorter Family Run too!
Studies show that one-quarter of UK secondary school pupils now suffer from regular or daily back pain, and this has been linked to prolonged sitting and the carrying of school bags.
In the last 23 years, the amount of time that children aged 5 to 16 spend in front of a screen has more than doubled. In 1995, 3 hours a day were spent on screen-time, and the average now – perhaps unsurprisingly, given our technology-led lifestyles – is 6 and a half hours a day.
This, combined with the 70% of the school day which is spent seated, and a drop in activity as fewer children walk to school (in the last 40 years, the number of primary age children who walk to school has dropped from 64% to 42%) is having a detrimental effect on the back health of young people.
With studies showing that children with back pain are more likely to suffer as an adult, it’s increasingly important to educate our children in the importance of good back health to help reverse the trend of back pain occurring in younger generations.
Employers are more aware than ever of the benefits of a work environment which encourages good physical health in their workforce, but sadly schools are yet to jump on board.
As parents, we can support our children to reduce their pain and prevent further problems in several ways
Reduce Screen Time
As a parent, I appreciate this may be met with considerable resistance, but if you can agree together on a limit and explain the reasons why it may help your children understand. There are also apps which you can download which limit time spent on a tablet/phone.
Whilst there’s no official guidance in the UK on a maximum number of hours we should allow our children in front of a screen, general guidance seems to be no more than 2 hours a day for 5-18-year olds.
As with adults, spending too long in a seated position compresses the spine and prevents the discs expanding and contracting to absorb nutrients. In addition, when we are standing and moving, our core muscles are activated but when we stay seated for too long and use our core less, the important back and core-stabilising muscles can become weak and unable to provide our back with the support it needs.
Encourage them to Get Active
Children should do at least 60-minutes of physical activity each day. A recent study found that a third of boys and two-thirds of girls aged 8-9 are failing to meet this recommendation.
With schools offering an average of 2 hours PE per week, we need to do more to encourage children to be more active every day.
By helping them get active by walking the dog, going out on their bikes/scooters, or playing in the garden, you will be helping ward of back pain by keeping their bodies moving and spines supple. This, in turn, helps lubricate the joints and improve the health of their discs.
Invest in A Good School Bag
One in four children with back pain experience problems because of heavy school bags. The weight of a child’s bag should not exceed 10% of their body weight.
Backpacks are the best kind of bag, with weight being evenly distributed across the back and both shoulders. Single strap bags place too much weight one side, causing muscular imbalances and compensatory problems in the back and shoulders.
If your child has a backpack, encourage them to use both straps. Carrying a backpack using just one strap is as damaging as using a single strap bag.
Check the contents of their bag regularly and encourage them to only carry the items they need that day.
If your child insists on a single strap bag, encourage them to wear it across their body do the weight is more evenly distributed.
Be Aware of Stress & Anxiety
Extra demands on young people can contribute to back pain. The pressure of school and social anxiety can lead to poor mental health and stress.
This places additional pressure and tension on the body, sometimes manifesting itself in back, neck or shoulder pain.
Exercise and increased activity, with the release of endorphins (our feel-good hormone), can help increase feelings of well-being, as can using mindfulness apps as well as talking to your child about any worries they may have.
If you are concerned about your child’s back pain, visit a professional who specialises in treating children and young adults. As their skeleton is still growing, it’s important to seek help sooner rather than later to avoid long-term problems.
We conducted a survey recently of people suffering from back pain and the effect exercise has on the level of pain experienced.
The type of exercise you should choose if you have back pain may vary according to your diagnosis, but here’s a quick rundown of things which are safe for the vast majority of back pain sufferers:
Pilates
Pilates can help improve posture, core strength, flexibility and balance.
It involves slow, controlled exercise to work the whole body, but with a focus on the back and core muscles, making it great for people suffering with chronic back pain, as often the core and back muscles are weakened.
When you have back pain, there may be some more advanced moves which you may need to avoid.
Make sure you tell your instructor about your back so they can modify your routine.
Yoga
A gentle, flowing yoga practice will help improve flexibility through stretching and relaxation techniques.
Using just your body weight, there is also an element which helps increase total body and core strength.
Again, make sure you tell your teacher about you back as there may be some moves which you should substitute.
Nikki at Urban Yoga holds lunchtime classes at Core Strength Studios.
Weight Training
The better supported your body is, the less pressure your back will be under.
By maintaining a strong frame, you can protect your back against pain and leave it less vulnerable to future attacks.
Free weights and functional training are great as they also work your core muscles, but be aware of moves such as burpees, kettlebell swings and other explosive moves which may aggravate your back.
Start gentle, and work your way towards more dynamic moves as you get stronger, and be very careful to use correct technique.
If in doubt, grab an instructor for some guidance.
Walking
As well as providing cardiovascular benefits, walking is ideal when you have back pain. When we move, our joints secrete a fluid to lubricate and keep them moving freely.
The movement when you walk will help the release of this fluid and make you feel looser and less stiff. In addition, your core muscles will be ‘switched on’ which helps maintain their strength which in turn helps keep your spine supported.
It’s also a low-impact workout which, if you have back pain, may be more comfortable.
To make it more of a workout, increase the pace or take in a few hills to get your heart pumping!
When you’re struck down with back pain, it’s hard to know what to do. Especially if you’ve not had pain before – it can be pretty scary and not wanting to make it worse is at the forefront of your mind.
Along with the old wives’ tales and myths, there are are lots of things people have in common when trying to ease their pain, and not all of them are actually helpful.
Take a look at these common mistakes, and see if you’ve been falling foul to any of them…
1. Stopping exercise
Ok, so this is a tricky one. There are some things you may want to stop doing, in terms of not doing the thing which is aggravating your back, but by all means don’t stop completely.
One of the classic myths surrounding back pain is to stop exercise when in fact, exercise has proven to be one of the best things for easing pain.
The key point is with this though, stick within your own limits and don’t go crazy, putting your back under too much strain at a time when it’s already vulnerable.
Gentle exercise like walking, yoga or Pilates are ones to opt for when you’re suffering with your back.
2. Using ice packs
Again, we’re often told different things and can be given conflicting advice on whether to use heat or cold.
The general rule of thumb is that if it’s swollen, then use ice and if it’s in spasm, use heat. If you feel like your back has suddenly locked, or is feeling very stiff, then use heat. A warm bath or hot water bottle are ideal.
By applying extreme cold, if you are already in spasm, the shock of the cold will cause you to tense and potentially increase the spasm (and thus increase the pain)
3. Carrying on as normal
Ok, so this sounds a bit contradictory to my first point but hear me out
If your back has ‘gone’ and is causing you pain, you WILL need to adapt your routine somewhat. Not to be confused with stopping exercise, you will need to stop doing the things which may aggravate it further.
So if sitting down all day makes it seize up, try a standing desk, sitting on a gym ball or adapting your workspace to find a more comfortable position.
Likewise if you’re on your feet all day and it’s causing you too much pain, take more regular breaks if you can to give your back a rest.
4. Not getting the right kind of help
When you have a bad back, you should see someone who specialises in backs.
Your GP will give you some good, practical advice, and can prescribe any medication they feel will help, but with waiting lists very high for referrals to physios, they are limited to how much they can help then and there.
If you’re in significant pain, we would recommend seeing a back pain professional.
This may be someone like us, who specialises in strengthening and mobilisation, or it may be a physio, chiropractor or osteopath.
If cost is a barrier to you seeking help, look out for practices who offer a free initial consultation.
This is a good way to see if they’re a good fit for you, and to get some good initial advice without having to commit to anything financially.
5. Letting fear get the better of you
It IS scary when you have back pain…
Especially if it’s sudden and you’ve not had it before.
It’s hard but try not to let the fear manifest itself physically to a point where you become tense. This will affect how you move and will stop your muscles relaxing in order to get back to normal.
If you do feel that the tension is getting in the way, take on board my last point.
At the very least, you’ll have some reassurance and an idea of what you need to do to recover. This should help you feel more comfortable and ease some of the fear you’re feeling.
6. Treating the symptoms, not the cause
Otherwise known as ‘dealing with the fruits not the roots’.
Yes, you need to alleviate your pain, but why do have the pain in the first place?
Sometimes back pain isn’t caused by your back at all, it can be problems in your knees, hips or even your feet manifesting itself as back pain.
A back pain specialist can take a look at your body as a whole, see how you’re moving and check your posture and alignment.
This can help them see where the problem is coming from and then work with you to work on the root.
By doing this, you’ll stand a better chance of getting rid of the pain long-term and not just masking a problem by just focussing on the pain.