Lower Back Pain
Mechanical pain. By far the most common cause of lower back pain, the source of mechanical pain is primarily the muscles, ligaments, joints, or bones in and around the spine. It tends to be localized to the lower back, buttocks, and sometimes the top of the legs. It may feel different based on your motion (forward/ backward/twisting), activity, standing, sitting, or resting. Generally, mechanical pain is dull or achy.3
Radiating pain. This type of pain can occur if a spinal nerve root is interfered with or becomes inflamed. It may radiate down into the leg and/or buttock. Its sensation is a sharp, electric, burning-type pain and can be associated with numbness or weakness known as sciatica, and is typically felt on only one side of your body.3