The Crucial Role of Core Strength in Running Performance: A Tale from Your Local One-Stop Shop For Nerve, Muscle and Joint Pain. 

By: Dr. Nate Drees, Sport & Spine Recovery Clinic

Running isn’t just about putting one foot in front of the other; it’s a complex interplay of muscles, coordination, and endurance. While many runners focus solely on logging miles and improving their cardiovascular fitness, they often overlook a crucial aspect of their performance: core strength.  As a chiropractor–we know core strength plays an equally important part in stabilizing the spine and preventing back pain, and in this blog, we’ll explore why core strength is essential for runners and how you can integrate core exercises into your training regimen to unlock your full potential on the track, trail, or road–hopefully with a bit less back pain!

The Importance of Core Strength in Running:
When we talk about the “core,” we’re referring to the muscles in your abdomen, lower back, pelvis, and hips.  These muscles serve as the foundation for your body’s movement and stability, playing a pivotal role in running mechanics.  We are also inherently referring to the skeletal structure in which these muscles anchor–and create motion.   Here’s why core strength matters for runners:

1. Stability and Balance: A strong core helps you maintain proper posture and alignment while running, reducing the risk of injury caused by inefficient movement patterns or overcompensation.  Not sure what proper posture or alignment looks like?  We know a chiropractor for that…
2. Power Generation: Your core muscles act as a transfer station for power generated by your legs, helping to propel you forward with each stride. A weak core can limit your ability to generate force and maintain speed over long distances.  If your core muscles are not active–the ligaments and joints absorb force (much less efficiently!) increasing your chance of lower back pain.
3. Injury Prevention: Weakness or imbalance in the core muscles can lead to a range of running-related injuries, including lower back pain, hip issues, and knee problems. By strengthening your core, you can mitigate these risks and keep yourself on the road or trail injury-free. Since your core is a transfer station–an unstable core means more force through your spinal ligaments and joints–increasing bouts of lower back pain and making it difficult to put your favorite sneakers on in the morning!

Incorporating Core Exercises into Your Training Routine:
Now that we understand the importance of core strength for runners, let’s discuss how to incorporate core exercises into your training routine effectively. Here are some key tips:

1. Variety is Key: Mix up your core exercises to target different muscle groups and prevent boredom. Incorporate exercises such as planks, gluteal bridges, isometric rotation exercises, and modified crunches to hit the core in all three dimensions.
2. Consistency is Key: Aim to incorporate core exercises into your training regimen at least two to three times per week. Consistency is crucial for seeing improvements in strength and stability over time. After a dynamic warm-up, we recommend performing core exercises before any workout–providing the anchor and stability to leverage your extremities.
3. Quality Over Quantity: Focus on performing each core exercise with proper form and control. It’s better to do fewer reps with excellent form than to rush through a high volume of reps with poor technique.  We aim to shoot for higher endurance rep ranges such as 15-25 reps for 3-4 sets–but with perfect form.
4. Integrate Core Work into Your Runs: You don’t need to set aside separate time for core exercises. Many running drills and dynamic stretches naturally engage the core muscles, so make a conscious effort to activate your core during your warm-up and cool-down routines.  We recommend that if you have a mobility routine for your hips–that you complement it with some additional core work.  We often have clients intermittently do core isometrics throughout their runs to keep the core engaged even as it fatigues during that tail end of that 10k.

As a runner, investing in your core strength is just as important as logging miles on the road. As a chiropractor, we know that by strengthening your core muscles, you’ll improve your stability, and power and ultimately enhance your running efficiency all while reducing your risk of low back pain. So, whether you’re training for a marathon, hitting the trails for a weekend adventure, or simply enjoying a leisurely jog around the neighborhood, don’t forget to give your core the attention it deserves. Your lower back will thank you–and as your local chiropractor–hopefully, this saves you a few stops in our office!

To set up an appointment with Dr. Nate, click here.