Back pain[1] is a pain or ache in the back. It can happen to anyone for lots of reasons, but it is also common in some occupations (jobs) or hobbies, such as in warehouse workers or bodybuilders or strongmen athletes.
Back pain can be with or without "radiation". When the pain radiates out and makes more of the body ache it is back pain with radiation, otherwise its back pain without.[1] Pain can radiate if it travels up the nerves to a larger part of the body. A common form of back pain is pain in the lower back near the pelvis or sacral spine, which can be caused by not using the proper form (not having the body positioned right) when lifting things off the ground. It can also be pain in the spine, anywhere from the bottom, near the buttox, to the top. Pain above the back where it meets the neck can sometimes be neck pain and have nothing to do with the back.
Causes
[change | change source]Back pain caused by lifting things off the ground can be caused by lifting things that are not heavy if the body is not positioned right. It can be caused by trying to lift big objects. It is common in weightlifters if they do not use safety equipment.
Avoiding workplace back pain
[change | change source]Avoiding back pain caused by lifting heavy things is simple and means just having the proper "form" when lifting things. Form is how the body is positioned, and the proper (right) way to have the body when lifting things off the ground is to bend the knees to get lower and closer to the item, having the arms out straight with shoulders level and facing the same direction as the hip,[2] having the object in front of the body, close to the body, and lifting without twisting.[2][3] Most importantly, lifting with the legs (not the back) helps prevent sudden "snaps" and serious back pain.
Lifting with the back straight with the knees bent from a low level, and using slight bends of the back at the start of lifting, not during, is helpful.[2][3] The thing that needs to be lifted should have a place to go before starting to lift it, and it should be lifted using both hands.[3] Making sure the feet are placed firmly on the ground (while lifting things) and walking in a calm way, with one foot going in front of the other is helpful.[2]
If back pain caused by a job is caused by the employer not training their employees, they can be sued in court, and damage caused to the person because of this is usually paid to the victim by the person that made them do the jobs in the first place. This is because back pain could harm the body, as well as back pain while it is happening usually makes it so a person can not work and earn money.
Treatment
[change | change source]A common treatment for back pain are opioids like codeine or oxycontin. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) are also useful in treating back pain. Sometimes back pain is the symptom of other more serious problems, and treatment for those might be rest (from work or exercise) and physiotherapy (slowly getting used to using the back again) to make the back as strong as it was before without causing damage.
Related pages
[change | change source]References
[change | change source]- 1 2 "MeSH Browser". meshb.nlm.nih.gov. Retrieved 2026-04-01.
- 1 2 3 4 Lives, Healthy Working. "Good lifting technique". www.healthyworkinglives.scot. Retrieved 2026-03-28.
- 1 2 3 "Manual handling at work: Good handling technique - HSE". www.hse.gov.uk. Retrieved 2026-03-28.