Risk Factors for Low Back Pain and Sciatica

A risk factor is something that increases your likelihood of getting a disease or condition.

It is possible to develop low back pain or sciatica with or without the risk factors listed below. However, the more risk factors you have, the greater your likelihood of developing low back pain or sciatica. If you have a number of risk factors, ask your doctor what you can do to reduce your risk.

Risk factors include:

Sedentary Job or Lifestyle

Muscles that support the back can become weak with lack of exercise.

Occupation

Work that requires the following motions puts additional stress on the back:

Heavy lifting
Bending or twisting
Exposure to vibrations, such as riding in a car or operating heavy machinery

Participating in Strenuous or Contact Sports

Injuries from contact sports or falls can result in back pain.

Cigarette Smoking

Smoking may contribute to degeneration of the discs in the spine.

]]>Obesity]]>

Maintenance of good weight is important for your overall health. While scientific evidence is inconclusive as to how much obesity contributes to back pain in general, extra pounds can increase pressure on the spinal muscles and disks.

Improper Lifting Techniques

Lifting objects using your back muscles instead of the stronger muscles in your legs increases your risk of back injury.

Age

As you grow older, the discs in your back begin to lose water content and degenerate, increasing the risk of disc problems and back pain, especially after age 40. However, even with some disc degeneration seen on ]]>MRI]]> or ]]>x-rays]]> , most people do not have back pain.

References:

Conn's Current Therapy 2001 . 53rd edition. W.B. Saunders Company; 2001.

Freedman MK. Saulino MF. Overton EA. Holding MY. Kornbluth ID. Interventions in chronic pain management. 5. Approaches to medication and lifestyle in chronic pain syndromes. Archives of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. 89(3 Suppl 1):S56-60, 2008 Mar.

Leboeuf-Yde C. Body weight and low back pain. A systematic literature review of 56 journal articles reporting on 65 epidemiologic studies. Spine. 25(2):226-37, 2000 Jan 15.

Pain. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke website. Available at: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/chronic_pain/detail_chronic_pain.htm#Spine . Accessed October 27, 2008.

Textbook of Primary Care Medicine . 3rd edition. Mosby, Inc.; 2001.

Last reviewed October 2008 by ]]>John C. Keel, MD]]>

Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.