What Is Causing My Lower Back Pain? A Chiropractor Explains

Lower back pain

Most lower back pain is caused by a combination of irritated joints, tight or weak muscles and poor movement habits—not serious damage.

The key is identifying which tissues are overloaded, why it started and what’s keeping it stuck.

What is actually causing my lower back pain?

Lower back pain rarely comes from one single cause.
It’s usually a mix of mechanical stress, tissue irritation and reduced movement quality.

The most common drivers I see in clinic include:

• Muscle overload or spasm
• Joint stiffness or irritation
• Disc-related irritation
• Nerve pressure
• Poor load and posture management
• Accumulated wear and tear

Your back isn’t fragile.
But it does respond to how you move, load, rest, and recover.

Is my pain coming from a muscle strain?

Muscle-related back pain is extremely common.
It often shows up after lifting, twisting, long sitting, or sudden movements. Think gardening, looking after young children or starting a new exercise.

Typical features include:

• Localised aching or tightness
• Pain with certain movements
• Tenderness to touch
• Relief with heat or gentle movement

Muscle pain often feels dramatic.
But the tissue usually isn’t “damaged.”

More often, muscles are:

• Overworked
• Fatigued
• Reacting to joint stiffness
• Guarding to protect irritated structures

Key point:
Muscle pain is usually a sign of overload, not injury.

Could it be a disc problem?

Discs are the shock absorbers between your spinal bones.
They can become irritated when loads exceed their tolerance.

Disc-related pain may include:

• Pain that worsens with sitting
• Pain when bending forward
• Pain with coughing or sneezing
• Leg symptoms like ache, tingling, or heaviness - particularly below the knee

Most disc issues are:

• Not herniations
• Not surgical
• Not permanent

Disc bulges are very common in people with no pain at all.

What matters most is:

• How the disc is being loaded
• Whether movement is restoring normal pressure
• How your nervous system is responding

Key point:
A damaged/degenerative disc finding on imaging does not automatically mean it’s the cause of your pain.

Are my spinal joints the real problem?

Yes—often.
Intervertebral facet joints and sacroiliac joints can become stiff or irritated.

Joint-based pain tends to feel:

• Deep and local
• Worse with certain movements
• Better after warming up
• Stiff in the morning or after sitting

Joint stiffness leads to:

• Compensatory muscle tension
• Poor movement patterns
• Reduced spinal load-sharing

This creates a cycle of irritation.

Key point:
Stiff joints make muscles work harder and discs absorb more load.

Could my pain be coming from spinal/sciatic nerves?

Nerve-related pain is different.
It tends to be sharper, more electric and radiating away from the spine.

Common features include:

• Pain into the buttock or leg
• Tingling or pins and needles
• Burning sensations
• Pain worse with prolonged sitting

This doesn’t always mean nerve damage.
Often, nerves are simply irritated by surrounding tissues.

Reducing nerve pressure involves:

• Improving movement
• Reducing compression
• Calming surrounding inflammation

Key point:
Nerve pain is often mechanical irritation, not permanent damage.

Did something “go out” in my back?

Nothing goes out of place (except in major trauma cases).
Your spine is stable by design.

What people feel as “something going out” is usually:

• Sudden muscle spasm (a protective mechanism)
• Joint locking
• Nervous system threat response to avoid potential further injury

This feels dramatic.
But structurally, your back is usually intact.

Your body creates pain to protect you, not to punish you.

Key point:
Pain does not equal damage.

Why did my pain start after doing something normal?

This is one of the most confusing parts for patients. The community “mental tattoo" is that backs only become painful due to heavy lifting. Possible for sure but statistically much less common.

Pain often starts after:

• Picking up something light
• Rolling over in bed
• Bending to tie shoes

The movement isn’t the cause.
It’s the final straw.

Your back may already be:

• Fatigued
• Under-recovered
• Deconditioned
• Overloaded from repetitive habits

The nervous system finally says, “Enough.”

Key point:
The last movement gets blamed, but the cause builds over time.

Is my pain coming from posture or sitting too much?

Posture alone is rarely the cause.
But unvaried posture is.

Problems arise from:

• Sitting for long periods
• Low movement variety
• Poor recovery between loads

Your spine thrives on:

• Regular movement
• Load variation
• Short breaks
• Gentle strength

The issue isn’t sitting.
It’s sitting for too long without moving.

Key point:
Your back needs movement more than “perfect posture.”

Could stress or fatigue be contributing to my back pain?

Absolutely.
Pain is processed by your nervous system.

Stress, poor sleep, and fatigue:

• Lower pain thresholds
• Increase muscle tension
• Reduce recovery capacity
• Heighten sensitivity

This doesn’t mean your pain is “in your head.”
It means your nervous system is part of the equation.

Key point:
A tired nervous system feels pain more intensely.

How do chiropractors figure out the real cause of lower back pain?

A proper assessment looks at patterns, not just symptoms.

We assess:

• Movement quality
• Joint motion
• Muscle activation
• Load tolerance
• Pain behaviour
• Lifestyle factors

We’re looking for:

• What’s overloaded
• What’s underperforming
• What’s moving poorly
• What’s sensitised

This lets us build a targeted recovery plan.

Key point:
The cause of pain is about how your system is functioning, not just what hurts.

What are the most common causes of lower back pain I see at Northcote Chiropractic Centre?

In most patients, it’s rarely one thing.

Most cases involve a combination of:

• Reduced spinal movement
• Weak stabilising muscles
• Poor load management
• Inconsistent activity
• Stress and recovery imbalance

The solution isn’t one magic adjustment.
It’s restoring normal function over time.

FAQ

Is lower back pain usually something serious?

Most lower back pain is mechanical and not linked to serious disease. Muscle overload, joint stiffness, and disc irritation account for the majority of cases. Red flags like unexplained weight loss, fever, or significant neurological changes are rare but warrant medical review.

Can scans tell me what’s causing my back pain?

Scans often show normal age-related changes that don’t cause pain. Many people without pain have disc bulges or arthritis on imaging. In fact evidence backed guidelines recommend against the routine use of imaging in patients with lower back pain due to unnecessary radiation, cost and poorer patient outcomes.
Clinical assessment and movement testing are more useful for understanding the real drivers of your pain.

Why does my back hurt even though nothing showed on my scan?

Pain is influenced by tissue sensitivity, nervous system response, and movement patterns. You can have real pain without visible structural damage. This is common and very treatable with the right care approach.

Is my back getting worse as I age?

Age alone doesn’t cause pain. Many people develop back pain due to reduced movement, weaker support muscles, and poor load tolerance—not because their spine is “wearing out.” Staying active and mobile protects your back long-term.

Can chiropractic care help identify the cause of my back pain?

Yes. A thorough chiropractic assessment looks at how your spine moves, how your muscles support it, and how your daily habits load your back. This helps pinpoint the drivers of your pain and guide targeted treatment and rehab.

One Clear Action

Book a spinal assessment at Essendon Health & Sports Centre to identify what’s actually driving your back pain and start restoring confidence in your movement.