First, our lifestyles have become more sedentary. These two factors have combined to create cumulative trauma to the back, the primary cause of back pain in most individuals. Many people often recall single instances when they injured their back, such as bending forward to pick up a bag of groceries. However, a healthy back will not be injured by one time events such as this, but rather, these events are usually the final straw which causes pain in a back that has been injured by months or years of repetitive trauma. As the spine is a complex structure, there are several different types of back injuries.
People also develop muscular injuries from overuse or from poor posture.
Ligament injuries are usually caused by traumatic events, such as an automobile accident. Osteoarthritis and osteoporosis are hereditary conditions that can be exacerbated by poor posture, weakness, and inflexibility in the spine. Treatment of back conditions is varied. Extreme cases require surgery, usually when a disc has completely ruptured. Cortisone injections may also be helpful to relieve inflammation.