Mechanical Low Back Pain
Mechanical back pain is a type of pain usually associated with posture and movements. It is commonly a dull or sharp type of pain that does not irradiate unless associated with secondary nerve compression. In severe cases, it is related to other symptoms, such as progressive sensory or motor loss and urinary retention, which account for red flag symptoms that require further assessment. In the case of irradiation or neuropathic pain, back pain is no longer classified as mechanical but radicular back pain instead.
Studies on mechanical factors and their implication for back pain show that patients with these symptoms usually have muscle weakness and reduced back extensor muscle endurance. Other structural elements such as leg length differences, foot arch, and length of various muscles are not apparently associated with low back pain. Another source of mechanical back pain is poor postural hygiene, which is why multiple studies have assessed the effects of postural hygiene programs in treating back pain.