Lower back care: the best movement is the next movement.

About 80% of people will experience lower back pain in their lifetime, and most episodes often begin with a muscle spasm and nerve sensitisation rather than clear structural damage; experts cited links with lifestyle and mental-health factors. Australian data in the article note a heavy national burden from back problems, and researchers reported improvements in some people after gradual increases in physical activity.

Lower back pain affects a large share of the population and is a common reason for medical attention. Experts say many episodes begin with a muscle spasm that leads to nerve sensitisation rather than obvious damage to bones or disks. Modern lifestyles that limit varied spinal movement, along with sleep and stress problems, are discussed as contributing factors. Recent research cited in the article links lifestyle changes and gradual increases in activity with reduced impact for some people. What we know: - An estimated 80% of people will experience lower back pain at some point in their lives. - At any one time, about one in six Australians is suffering from back problems; back problems are the third-highest contributor to disease burden in Australia and account for about 2.2% of the national health budget. - Around one-third of people who have an episode of low back pain will have another one within a year. - Experts report that most cases start with a muscle spasm and subsequent nerve sensitisation, and that imaging often shows no clear difference between people with and without pain. - Musculoskeletal specialists in the article identify lifestyle and mental-health factors — including stress, poor sleep, smoking, diet and low activity — as important contributors to onset and recurrence. - The article describes a research participant with decades of chronic pain who reported marked improvement after a gradual increase in physical activity. Summary: Lower back pain is widespread and contributes substantially to health burden, while evidence discussed in the article emphasises that many episodes arise without clear structural injury and are linked to lifestyle and movement patterns. Undetermined at this time.