Common causes Simon Crompton Most cases of back pain are caused by strains and minor injuries, rather than more serious causes, and are often referred to as 'simple back pain'.

In this article

Stress factors

Diagnosing the cause

The symptoms of simple back pain often occur suddenly and can be triggered by a particular movement, but the causes may have been building for some time.

Some of the most common causes of stress and strain on the spine include:

• Slouching in chairs
• Driving in hunched positions
• Standing badly
• Lifting incorrectly
• Sleeping on sagging mattresses
• Being unfit
• Generally overdoing it

Inactivity and the wrong sort of movement are usually at the root of simple back pain.

Inactivity makes the muscles go slack so they are unable to support the back properly. This leaves the back more vulnerable to damage when certain movements put too much strain on one area.

Often, the problem is caused by a strain or tear to the muscles, tendons or ligaments around the lower spine. In turn, this can produce painful muscle tension and spasm.

Even a minor problem can cause a lot of pain when you stand, bend or move around. Pain sometimes comes on suddenly, sometimes gradually, but usually it only lasts a few days or up to a week.

It's often difficult for doctors to find the exact cause of back pain that's due to muscle or ligament damage in the lumbar area. That's why it's often called non-specific low back pain.

In many cases, the pain starts a day or two after an injury occurs, or the cause has been building up gradually over many years, which makes diagnosis even more difficult.

Print out and fill in a personal back pain plan to help you keep track of your back problems. It can help you pinpoint the tiggers and enable you to take better care.

This article was last medically reviewed by Dr Rob Hicks in September 2007.
First published in March 1999.