Over time, they can start to wear out and become damaged. Many of the problems that cause back pain are the result of injury and degeneration of the intervertebral disk. Degeneration is a process where wear and tear causes deterioration, like when your favorite jeans get old. The disk is subjected to different types of stress as we use our backs each day. Acute or immediate injuries to the back can be caused by tearing or straining ligaments and muscles.
Muscles can also spasm due to stress or tension.
The Forces Involved The amount of force placed on your back under certain conditions can be surprising. Anytime you bend or lean over to pick something up, you put tremendous pressure on your lower back. Think of your back as a lever. With the fulcrum in the center of the lever, it only takes ten pounds of pressure to lift a ten pound object. However, if you shift the fulcrum to one side, it takes much more force to lift the same object.