Sprains And Strains - Why Does Your Back Hurt: Back Pain

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Sprains and strains

Sprains and strains are probably the most frequent causes of backache, but they are not always easy to diagnose quickly and accurately. Sprains affect ligaments, the tough fibrous tissue found where bones, such as the vertebrae in your spine, connect at joints. Strains are injuries of your muscles or tendons.

If you have a sprain or strain, your pain is confined to your lower back. The pain — often coming in the form of stiffness and spasms (muscle contractions) — starts after lifting something heavy, making a sudden or off-balance movement, or overuse. Because you may find it painful to move your trunk, you are likely to limit these movements or be more guarded when making them. Sometimes the only way to relieve this discomfort is by lying down.

In cases of a back strain or sprain, your doctor will often find the following symptoms during an exam: a characteristic forward or sideways bent-trunk posture, limited motion, and spasms in your chest and back muscles. Usually, there isn't any clear evidence of nerve-root irritation — such as muscle weakness, changes in reflexes, or numbness and tingling. Nor can physicians confirm this sort of injury by using any available imaging technique; an x-ray, for example, won't show any abnormality or may show an abnormality that is unrelated.

Last updated:	January 23, 2007