Non-specific low back pain
The most frequent diagnosis, describing pain without a clearly identifiable structural cause, often linked to muscular strain, deconditioning, or movement patterns under load.
The overwhelming majority of low back pain cases are labeled non-specific, meaning symptoms cannot be reliably traced to one structural finding. A smaller group of conditions have more identifiable features and a somewhat different management course.
Severity and prevalence vary widely across these conditions, from common mechanical strain to comparatively rare but serious presentations that require urgent care.
Relative clinical burden
Non-specific low back pain90
Lumbar disc herniation40
Sciatica / lumbar radiculopathy38
Lumbar spinal stenosis30
Spondylolisthesis20
Cauda equina syndrome3
Common conditions
Lumbar disc herniation
Displacement of disc material that can irritate or compress a nearby nerve root, often producing pain that radiates into the leg along with the back pain itself.
Sciatica / lumbar radiculopathy
Nerve root irritation producing pain, numbness, or weakness along the path of the sciatic nerve into the buttock and leg.
Lumbar spinal stenosis
Narrowing of the spinal canal, most common in older adults, that can cause leg pain and fatigue with walking that typically eases with sitting or forward bending.
Spondylolisthesis
A forward slip of one vertebra over another, which can be an incidental finding or contribute to pain and instability depending on its degree and stability.
Cauda equina syndrome
A rare but serious compression of the nerve bundle at the base of the spinal cord, producing saddle numbness and bladder or bowel dysfunction, and requiring emergency care.
While the vast majority of low back pain is self-limiting and mechanical, the rare but serious conditions on this list are why clinicians routinely screen for red-flag symptoms during evaluation.
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