Lower back pain: Common physical movements like bending and pushing might spark temporary flare-ups of lower back pain, but they won’t cause lasting harm, according to new research.
The study, which appeared in JAMA Network Open, indicates people dealing with lower back pain can typically perform tasks involving pushing, pulling, bending and twisting without worrying about long-term consequences, researchers said.
Also Read | How to prevent back pain while lifting or doing housework
Scientists from Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System and the University of Washington, working with Australian research institutions, tracked both immediate and extended effects of ten routine movements. These included lifting 10 pounds, sitting, standing, walking and squatting.
More than 400 people completed questionnaires throughout a year-long observation period. The research team found that each extra hour spent doing certain activities raised the chances of subsequent pain episodes. Movements linked to increased flare-up risk included lifting more than 10 pounds, bending, pushing, pulling, twisting and squatting.
Greater amounts of time devoted to lifting, pushing, pulling, bending, twisting and crawling correlated with higher odds of temporary lower back pain spikes. Sitting, by contrast, is connected to fewer flare-ups.
But here’s the key finding: the average time participants spent on any of these physical activities during the study’s first eight weeks showed no connection to functional limitations measured a year down the line.
Researchers documented short-lived risks of lower back pain episodes tied to certain movements, yet found no links between those activities and reduced function at the one-year mark. The results show that while specific tasks may set off brief bouts of lower back pain, they don’t lead to long-term restrictions in what people can do, the team noted.
These findings back up the idea that activities can trigger lower back pain episodes, but they don’t support claims that doing these movements causes enduring limitations. The researchers said this aligns with public health guidance emphasising that physical activity generally helps rather than harms lower back pain.