Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsMuscle StrainLumbar SprainFacet Joint PainSpinal FractureSI Joint DysfunctionSciaticaDisc DamageLifestyle Risk Factors
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Muscle Strain
Lumbar Sprain
Facet Joint Pain
Spinal Fracture
SI Joint Dysfunction
Sciatica
Disc Damage
Lifestyle Risk Factors
Sharp low back pain can occur due to a sudden injury, such as a spinal fracture or sprain, or to issues like sciatica or degenerative damage of the vertebral discs. When the precise cause of sharp low back pain cannot be identified, it is described as “non-specific"back pain.
Low back pain that’ssharp and severetends to come on suddenly and can be acute—sometimes lasting for no longer than three months.
Low back pain is a common complaint: An estimated 80% of adults experience an episode of low back pain at some point in their lives. It usually resolves on its own within a few days or weeks.
Verywell / Gary Ferster
Sharp, piercing pain is usually associated with simple, seemingly benign movements such as twisting or lifting something heavy.
Causes include:
Several lifestyle factors may increase or decrease your risk of developing sharp low back pain.
Astrainis an injury in which tendon or muscle fibers are overstretched or torn, triggering inflammation. When the low back is affected, the pain often emanates from the buttocks and may extend down the back of one or both legs.
Other symptoms of muscle strain include:
A lower back sprain,also called a lumbar sprain, occurs when ligaments—the tough bands of tissue that connect bones to bones—are injured.
Sprains can result from stretching or tearing a ligament from its attachment, often due to an injury such as a fall or an action that displaces the surrounding joint from its normal alignment.
A sprain can range from a mild ligamentous stretch to a complete tear. Common symptoms experienced after a sprain are:
Ligaments of the Spine
Facet jointsare located behind the vertebrae and help to protect the spine from extreme movements in any direction.
Facet joints also are susceptible todegenerative arthritis (osteoarthritis), in which the cartilage around the joint that provides protective cushioning between vertebrae wears out. When the bones rub against each other, it causes pain.
Facet joint pain can make it feel like your spine has “locked up” and may even make you unable to move for a few minutes.
One type of spinal fracture—a compression fracture—occurs when vertebrae collapse under a load of an external force. This is common in traumatic spinal injuries or due to a bad fall when a vertebra is squeezed or crushed.
In older adults, loss of bone density associated withosteoporosiscan increase the risk of these fractures, which may not cause symptoms right away.
Spinal fractures tend to cause sharp low back pain when you’re standing.
Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction
Thesacroiliac (SI) jointsare located on either side of the lower back between thesacrumand the pelvic bones. They’re shock absorbers, decreasing stress on the pelvis and spine.
When you stand or walk, the SI joints help transfer the load from your upper body to the lower body.
Repetitive stress from daily movement or injury can wear down the cartilage around the SI joints, causing low back pain and limiting motion in the lower back or hips.
The intensity of sacroiliac pain is typically related to the extent of joint damage. When the cartilage is damaged or worn away, the bones begin to rub against each other.
Sciaticaoccurs when there’s pressure on or damage to the sciatic nerve, which starts in the lower back and runs down the back of each leg.
The sciatic nerve controls the muscles in the back of the knee and lower leg, and makes it possible to feel sensation in the back of your thigh, lower leg, and even the soles of your feet.
When the sciatic nerve is compressed, you may feel a burning sensation and pain. If the nerve is pinched, you may also feel numbness and weakness in your leg due to an interruption of the nerve signal.
Anatomy of the Sciatic Nerve
Sharp low back pain from a herniated or ruptured disc can occur when the intervertebral discs become compressed and bulge outward, also described as a slipped disc.
When a disc slips, all or part of it exerts pressure on surrounding nerves or the spinal cord. A disc can also rupture due to an injury or strain.
Because they act as a cushion, intervertebral discs facilitate a full range of lower back movements, such as flexing, bending, or twisting. However, disc deterioration reduces that cushioning and leads to sharp pain. It also can cause some people to lose several inches of height.
Annular tears (tears of the ligament) that occur in the outer layer of the intervertebral disc can also cause acute low back pain. The pain can be severe, even if there is only a small amount of tissue damage.
Symptoms of Herniated Disc
Lifestyle factors that can increase your risk of sharp low back pain include:
Some research suggests smoking may also up your risk of sharp low back pain.
A Word From Verywell
Low back pain is one of the most common medical conditions in the United States. Often, if you have a sprain or strain, the pain will resolve itself.
1 SourceVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Peebles R, Jonas CE.Sacroiliac joint dysfunction in the athlete: diagnosis and management.Curr Sports Med Rep. 2017;16(5):336-342. doi:10.1249/JSR.0000000000000410Additional ReadingMedlineplus,Herniated DiskNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Low back pain fact sheet.
1 Source
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Peebles R, Jonas CE.Sacroiliac joint dysfunction in the athlete: diagnosis and management.Curr Sports Med Rep. 2017;16(5):336-342. doi:10.1249/JSR.0000000000000410Additional ReadingMedlineplus,Herniated DiskNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Low back pain fact sheet.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Peebles R, Jonas CE.Sacroiliac joint dysfunction in the athlete: diagnosis and management.Curr Sports Med Rep. 2017;16(5):336-342. doi:10.1249/JSR.0000000000000410
Medlineplus,Herniated DiskNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Low back pain fact sheet.
Medlineplus,Herniated Disk
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Low back pain fact sheet.
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