10 Common Lower Back Pain Causes

2. Strain

A muscle strain is one of the most common causes of lower back pain. It happens when you stretch or tear a muscle or tendon in your back. This often occurs during lifting, twisting, or sudden movement. Your lower back muscles support your spine and help you bend and turn.

You may strain your back by lifting something heavy with poor form. Weak core muscles, poor posture, or overuse during sports can also lead to strain. Even bending to tie your shoes can trigger pain if your muscles are tight or tired. Common signs include dull or sharp pain in one area, muscle spasms, stiffness, trouble standing straight, and pain that worsens with movement.

The pain usually stays in your lower back and does not move down your legs. Most muscle strains improve within a few weeks. Light movement often helps more than long periods of bed rest. Ice, heat, and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicine may ease pain and swelling.

3. Kidney Problems

Kidney problems can cause pain that feels like it comes from your lower back. Your kidneys sit on both sides of your spine just below your rib cage. When they become infected, blocked, or swollen, you may feel deeper pain in your back instead of surface muscle soreness.

A kidney infection often begins as a urinary tract infection that spreads upward. You may have back pain along with fever, chills, nausea, or burning with urination. The pain often affects one side and feels steady and sharp.

Kidney stones can also cause sudden and severe pain in your back or side, sometimes with blood in your urine or frequent urges to urinate. Chronic kidney disease may not cause pain early on. Later, you may notice dull back discomfort, leg swelling, fatigue, or changes in urination.

4. Bladder or Urinary Tract Infection

A bladder or urinary tract infection can cause pain in your lower back. Bacteria enter your urinary tract and infect your bladder. If the infection spreads to your kidneys, you may feel pain on one or both sides of your lower back.

The pain often feels deep rather than surface-level. You may notice burning with urination, a strong and frequent urge to urinate, cloudy or strong-smelling urine, and pressure in your lower belly. Fever or chills can develop if the infection reaches your kidneys.

Women develop these infections more often, but anyone can be affected. Risk increases with diabetes, kidney stones, an enlarged prostate, or trouble emptying your bladder. Lower back pain from a urinary infection often feels steady and may come with nausea or extreme fatigue, which can be signs that the infection has reached the kidneys.

5. Prostatitis

Prostatitis is swelling and irritation of your prostate gland. Your prostate sits just below your bladder and helps produce semen. When it becomes inflamed, you may feel pain in your lower back, pelvis, or the area between your legs.

The discomfort can range from mild to severe. You can develop prostatitis at any age, but it often affects men under 50. Some cases result from a bacterial infection, while others relate to nerve problems, past injury, or long-term stress.

Lower back pain often appears with other symptoms such as burning with urination, trouble starting or stopping urine flow, a weak stream, pain after ejaculation, and sometimes fever or chills. Acute bacterial prostatitis starts suddenly and may cause fever, body aches, and intense pelvic or back pain. Chronic forms develop slowly and can last for months.

6. Pregnancy

Pregnancy often causes lower back pain, especially during the early and later months. Hormones loosen the ligaments in your pelvis and lower back to prepare your body for birth. This change makes your joints less stable and can increase strain on your lower spine.

As your baby grows, your uterus becomes heavier and shifts your center of gravity forward. You may lean back without noticing, which increases the curve in your lower spine. Standing for long periods, weak abdominal muscles, rapid weight gain, poor posture, long hours of sitting, and lifting heavy objects can all raise your risk of back pain.

Most pregnancy-related back pain feels dull or achy. Urgent medical care is necessary if you also have fever, vaginal bleeding, pain with urination, or numbness in your legs or groin. Severe back pain in the second or third trimester can signal early labor. Using proper lifting form, wearing flat shoes, and resting your back can help reduce strain.

7. Injured Vertebrae

Your spine is made of small bones called vertebrae. These bones stack on top of each other to support your body and protect your spinal cord. When one or more vertebrae become injured, you may feel pain in your lower back and notice limits in movement.

A vertebra can be injured during a fall, car crash, or heavy lifting. A sudden twist can cause a compression fracture, which is a small crack in the bone. This type of fracture becomes more common with age because bone strength decreases over time. Injury to a vertebra can also place pressure on nearby nerves. People with osteoporosis have a higher risk because weakened bones break more easily, even with minor strain.

Common signs include sudden back pain after an accident, pain that worsens with movement, tenderness over the spine, numbness or tingling in the legs, and reduced flexibility. In some cases, standing or walking may become difficult if the injury affects spinal stability.

8. Spinal Trauma

Spinal trauma is an injury to your spine caused by sudden force. Car crashes, falls, sports impacts, or direct blows to your back can cause this type of injury. The force can bruise muscles, strain ligaments, or damage the vertebrae that protect your spinal cord.

When trauma affects your spine, you may feel sharp lower back pain right away. Swelling, stiffness, and trouble moving are also common. In more serious cases, a vertebra can fracture. A fracture means the bone cracks or breaks. This injury can press on nearby nerves and cause numbness in your legs, tingling or burning pain, weakness in your lower body, or loss of bladder or bowel control.

Spinal trauma can also damage your spinal cord. Spinal cord injury can disrupt signals between your brain and body and lead to lasting changes in movement or feeling below the injury. Immediate medical attention is critical after significant back trauma, even if symptoms seem mild at first.

9. The Wrong Shoes

Your shoes affect how you stand, walk, and carry your weight. When they do not support your feet, your lower back works harder to keep you balanced. Over time, this extra strain can lead to pain and stiffness in your lower spine and nearby muscles.

Shoes with thin soles or little arch support can change your posture. If your feet roll too far inward or outward, your legs and hips shift out of alignment. That shift moves up your body and increases pressure on your lower back. High heels tilt your pelvis forward and deepen the curve in your lower spine, which can tighten back and hip muscles.

Worn-out shoes also create problems. Broken-down soles reduce shock absorption, and each step sends more force into your spine. Foot pain can increase your risk of falls, especially as you age. Choosing well-fitting shoes with proper arch support can help reduce uneven strain on your lower back.

10. Lack of Fitness

When you do not stay active, your lower back can weaken over time. Weak muscles give your spine less support. Simple tasks such as lifting a bag or standing for long periods may feel harder and more painful. A lack of movement can reduce strength and endurance in the muscles that protect your spine.

Low fitness levels often link to ongoing low back pain. Long hours of sitting can lead to stiff joints and tight muscles. Your core muscles in your abdomen, the back muscles along your spine, and your hip and pelvic muscles all help stabilize your lower back. Weakness in these areas increases strain and can lead to repeated pain episodes.

Regular physical activity improves blood flow, strength, and flexibility. It also helps maintain a healthy body weight, which reduces pressure on your spine. Light exercise such as walking or gentle stretching supports mobility. Gradual return to activity is often recommended, since long periods of rest can prolong back pain.