Lower back care: the best movement is the next movement

Most lower back pain begins with a muscle spasm that can lead to nerve sensitisation rather than clear structural damage, and experts link regular movement and healthier lifestyle factors with fewer or shorter episodes.

Many everyday actions — getting out of bed, bending, reaching — can precede sudden lower back pain. Experts say most episodes start with a muscle spasm that can set in motion nerve sensitisation rather than clear damage to bones, disks or tendons. Imaging such as X‑ray or MRI often does not show a definitive cause. Researchers and clinicians note links between sleep quality, stress, activity levels and the likelihood of recurrent episodes. Key points: - Most lower back pain episodes are reported to begin with a muscle spasm followed by nerve sensitisation rather than obvious structural injury. - Imaging studies frequently do not show clear differences between people who have pain and those who do not. - Back pain is common: an estimated 80% of people experience it at some point, and recurrence rates are high (around one-third may have another episode within a year). - Common triggers mentioned include stress, poor sleep, fatigue and low activity levels. - An Australian study cited in the article described participants who reported reduced impact from chronic low back pain after gradual lifestyle and activity changes. Summary: Lower back pain is widespread and often linked to transient muscle events and subsequent nerve sensitisation, which helps explain why many cases lack clear findings on imaging. Undetermined at this time.