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Most pain in the low back (lumbosacral region) is triggered by
some combination of overuse, muscle strain, or injury to the muscles and
ligaments that support the spine. Many experts believe that over time, chronic
muscle strain can lead to an overall imbalance in the spinal structure. This
leads to a constant tension on the muscles, ligaments, bones, and discs, making
the back more prone to injury or reinjury.

The causes of low back pain tend to be
interrelated. For example, after straining muscles, you are likely to use your
back differently than usual. As other parts of your back work harder or move in
unaccustomed ways to make up for the injured muscles, they also become more
prone to injury.

The most common causes of low back pain are:

• Strain of muscles, ligaments, facet joints, the sacroiliac joints, or coccyx (coccygodynia). This can be the result
  of a sudden injury or overuse.
• Pressure on nerve roots in the spinal canal.
  Nerve root compression can be caused by:
  • A herniated disc, often brought on
    by repeated vibration or motion (as during machine use or sport activity, or
    when lifting improperly), or by a sudden heavy strain or increased pressure to
    the lower back.
  • Osteoarthritis (facet joint
    degeneration), which typically develops with age.
  • Spondylolysis
    and spondylolisthesis, vertebra defects that can allow a vertebra to slide
    over another when aggravated by certain activities.
  • Spinal
    stenosis, which typically develops with age.
  • Spinal deformities, including curvature problems such as
    scoliosis and kyphosis (unless
    severe, these rarely cause symptoms).
  • Compression fractures, more
    common among postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, or after long-term
    corticosteroid use. In a person with osteoporosis, even a small amount of force
    put on the spine, as from a sneeze, may cause a compression fracture.
• Fractures of the vertebrae caused by significant force
  (as from an auto or bicycle accident, a direct blow to the spine, or compressing
  the spine by falling onto the buttocks or head).

Less common spinal conditions that can cause low
back pain include:

• Ankylosing
  spondylitis.
• Bacterial
  infection.
• Spinal
  tumors.
• Paget’s
  disease.
• Scheuermann’s disease.

Other medical conditions that can cause low back
pain include:

• Pelvic
  inflammatory disease.
• Aortic aneurysm.
• Peptic
  ulcers.
• Gallbladder disease.
• Pancreatitis.

By Healthwise