Distraction, awkward positions and fatigue are the leading triggers for acute low back pain, an Australian study finds.

Led by researchers from the George Institute for Global Health in Sydney the study involved almost 1,000 people with a recent episode of low pack pain. Participants were asked to report exposure to 12 physical or psychosocial factors in the 96 hours prior to the onset of back pain.

Results showed the risk of a new episode of low back pain ranged from an odds ratio of 2.7 for moderate to vigorous physical activity to 25.0 for distraction during an activity. The also discovered that back pain risk was highest between 7 am and noon.

“Understanding which modifiable risk factors lead to low back pain is an important step toward controlling a condition that affects so many worldwide,” said lead author Associate Professor Manuela Ferreira.

“We acknowledge that changing human behaviour is far from simple, however the burden of back pain around the globe does provide a compelling case that something should be done,” the authors concluded.