Editing Back pain (section)

===Risk factors===
Heavy lifting, obesity, sedentary lifestyle and lack of exercise can increase the risk of back pain.<ref name=":5" /> Cigarette smokers are more likely to experience back pain than are nonsmokers.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Shiri R, Karppinen J, Leino-Arjas P, Solovieva S, Viikari-Juntura E |url=https://scholar.google.com/scholar?as_sdt=0%2C5&q=+The+association+between+smoking+and+low+back+pain%3A+a+meta-analysis+&btnG= |format=PDF | title = The association between smoking and low back pain: a meta-analysis | journal = The American Journal of Medicine | volume = 123 | issue = 1 | pages = 87.e7–35 | date = January 2010 | pmid = 20102998 | doi = 10.1016/j.amjmed.2009.05.028 }}</ref> Excessive weight gain in pregnancy is also a risk factor for back pain.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Canada |first=Health |date=2010-09-22 |title=Prenatal Nutrition Guidelines for Health Professionals: Gestational Weight Gain |url=https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/healthy-eating/healthy-weights/prenatal-guidelines-professionals-gestational-weight-gain.html |access-date=2025-03-28 |website=www.canada.ca}}</ref> In general, fatigue can worsen pain.<ref name=":5" />

A few studies suggest that [[psychosocial]] factors such as work-related stress and [[Dysfunctional family|dysfunctional family relationships]] may correlate more closely with back pain than do structural abnormalities revealed in X-rays and other medical imaging scans.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Burton AK, Tillotson KM, Main CJ, Hollis S | title = Psychosocial predictors of outcome in acute and subchronic low back trouble | journal = Spine | volume = 20 | issue = 6 | pages = 722–28 | date = March 1995 | pmid = 7604349 | doi = 10.1097/00007632-199503150-00014 | s2cid = 21171676 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Carragee EJ, Alamin TF, Miller JL, Carragee JM | title = Discographic, MRI and psychosocial determinants of low back pain disability and remission: a prospective study in subjects with benign persistent back pain | journal = The Spine Journal | volume = 5 | issue = 1 | pages = 24–35 | year = 2005 | pmid = 15653082 | doi = 10.1016/j.spinee.2004.05.250 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Hurwitz EL, Morgenstern H, Yu F | title = Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of low-back pain and related disability with psychological distress among patients enrolled in the UCLA Low-Back Pain Study | journal = Journal of Clinical Epidemiology | volume = 56 | issue = 5 | pages = 463–71 | date = May 2003 | pmid = 12812821 | doi = 10.1016/S0895-4356(03)00010-6 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Dionne CE |url=https://scholar.google.com/scholar?as_sdt=0%2C5&q=+Psychological+distress+confirmed+as+predictor+of+long-term+back-related+functional+limitations+in+primary+care+settings+&btnG= |format=PDF | title = Psychological distress confirmed as predictor of long-term back-related functional limitations in primary care settings | journal = Journal of Clinical Epidemiology | volume = 58 | issue = 7 | pages = 714–18 | date = July 2005 | pmid = 15939223 | doi = 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2004.12.005 }}</ref>

Back pain physical effects can range from muscle aching to a shooting, burning, or stabbing sensation.  Pain can radiate down the legs and can be increased by bending, twisting, lifting, standing, or walking. While the physical effects of back pain are always at the forefront, back pain also can have psychological effects. Back pain has been linked to depression, anxiety, stress, and avoidance behaviors due to mentally not being able to cope with the physical pain. Both acute and chronic back pain can be associated with psychological distress in the form of anxiety (worries, stress) or depression (sadness, discouragement). Psychological distress is a common reaction to the suffering aspects of acute back pain, even when symptoms are short-term and not medically serious.<ref>{{cite web | publisher = International Asscosiation for the Study of Pain (IASP) | date = 9 July 2021 | title = Psychology of Back Pain. | url = https://www.iasp-pain.org/resources/fact-sheets/psychology-of-back-pain/#:~:text=Both%20acute%20and%20chronic%20back,not%20medically%20serious%20%5B35%5D }}</ref>