Weak back muscles are prone to injury. Poor posture while sitting, standing and lifting objects can place unnecessary stress on your spine. Sports injuries and motor vehicle accidents are very common causes

Age-related wear and tear affecting the spine in your neck or low back. As the disks dehydrate and shrink, bone spurs and other signs of osteoarthritis develop. Dehydrated disks, herniated discs, bone spurs, and stiff ligaments are the result.

A catching pain starts at the low back and radiates through buttocks - behind the thighs, knees, and calves and to the ankles and toes. A bulged disc or an osteophyte of a degenerated vertebrae cause pinching of nerve roots.

Spinal disk is like a jelly donut, with a soft center encased within a tough coating. Ruptured disk or herniated disk occurs when the soft jelly pushes out through a crack. It can irritate nearby nerves and result in pain, numbness and weakness in arms or legs.

May include pain and stiffness in your lower back and hips, especially in the morning and after periods of inactivity. People who have a gene HLA-B27 are at increased risk.