Lower Back Pain Eighty percent (80%) of people will experience lower back pain at some stage of their life. Back pain is a symptom caused by numerous biopsychosocial conditions. It is one of the most common reasons for people missing work and seeing a doctor or physiotherapist. Fortunately, most back pain is caused by musculoskeletal conditions and can be readily treated with great success. Generally, lower back pain is something you can avoid with the added knowledge of some back education, back care strategies and back exercises. Please seek advice specific to your low back pain. What Can Cause Severe Low Back Pain? Acute low back pain is most often caused by a sudden injury to the muscles and ligaments supporting the back. The pain may be caused by muscle spasms or a strain or tear in the muscles and ligaments. But occasionally, it can have a more sinister cause. Sudden Low Back Pain Causes Muscle Strain or Muscle Spasms Spinal Disc Injury Compression fractures eg Osteoporosis Sciatica Spine Cancer Non-Musculoskeletal Causes of Low Back Pain Despite most low back pain is musculoskeletal in origin, other health conditions can cause low back pain. Abdominal aortic aneurysm Infection of the spine (osteomyelitis, discitis) Kidney infection or kidney stones Spondyloarthropathies: eg rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis. Female reproductive organs: eg pregnancy complications, ovarian cysts or cancer, endometriosis Please seek the professional advice of your trusted and experienced physiotherapist to diagnose the cause of your lower back pain.