The majority of episodes of acute lower back pain are caused by damage to the muscles and/or ligaments in the low back. Even though a muscle strain doesn’t sound like a serious injury, the low back pain can be surprisingly severe and is the cause of many emergency room visits each year.
- A muscle strain happens when the muscle is over-stretched or torn, resulting in damage to the muscle fibers (a pulled muscle).
- A lumbar sprain happens when ligaments are stretched too far or torn. Ligaments are very tough, fibrous connecting tissues that connect the muscles to the bones and joints.
