Can activities like pushing and bending worsen lower back pain according to the new study?

Yes, the study found these activities can temporarily flare up lower back pain.

Does the Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System study show long-term harm from common movements?

No, the study indicates these movements are unlikely to cause long-term damage or functional limitations.

What physical activities are linked to a higher risk of lower back pain flares based on the JAMA study?

Lifting, bending, pushing, pulling, twisting, and squatting were linked to a higher risk of temporary flares.

Home / Health / Back Pain Flares: Movement Triggers, Not Long-Term Damage

Back Pain Flares: Movement Triggers, Not Long-Term Damage

31 Dec, 2025

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Summary

Physical activities like bending and pushing may cause temporary back pain flares.
These movements are unlikely to lead to long-term damage or functional limitations.
More time on certain activities increased risk of temporary pain flare-ups.

Back Pain Flares: Movement Triggers, Not Long-Term Damage

Recent findings suggest that engaging in physical activities like bending, pushing, and twisting, which may temporarily exacerbate lower back pain, does not result in long-term harm. Researchers examined common movements and their effects over a one-year follow-up period involving over 400 participants.

The study identified that activities such as lifting, bending, and pushing were associated with a greater risk of subsequent pain flares. Conversely, prolonged sitting was linked to a lower risk of experiencing these temporary flare-ups. Despite these short-term triggers, the average time spent on analyzed activities did not correlate with long-term functional limitations.

These results support the view that while physical movements can trigger transient episodes of lower back pain, they generally do not lead to persistent functional limitations. This aligns with the public health message that physical activity typically benefits overall lower back health.