Back Pain Symptoms

Pain in the lumbosacral area (lower part of the back) is the primary symptom of low back pain.

• The pain may radiate down the front, side, or back of your leg, or it may be confined to the low back.
  
  
• The pain may become worse with activity.
  
  
• Occasionally, the pain may be worse at night or with prolonged sitting such as on a long car trip.
  
  
• You may have numbness or weakness in the part of the leg that receives its nerve supply from a compressed nerve.
  
  
  • An example of this would be an inability to plantar flex the foot. This means you would be unable to stand on your toes or bring your foot downward. This occurs when the first sacral nerve is compressed or injured.
    
    
  • Another example would be the inability to raise your big toe upward. This results when the fifth lumbar nerve is compromised.