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12 Ways to Stop Work-Related Back Pain

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Muscle strains
The lowdown. Muscle strains are actually small tears in, or the stretching out of, muscle fibers. They're also the top reason for back pain.

What it feels like. A stiffness or soreness that worsens with activity (including small movements, like bending over to pick something up).

The cause. Any repetitive or jolting movement-or even just sitting. "Women who sit at work hunched over for hours put stress on their backs," says Dr. Jeffrey Goldstein, director of the spine service at the New York University Langone Medical Center. "If they also don't exercise regularly, they lose strength in their back and their core-the muscles which help support their spine. So when they do ramp up their activity, they may pull one or several back muscles."

Another surprising trigger: "Tight hamstrings can exacerbate a strain by putting stress on the low back," explains Renee Garrison, a physical therapist at the Medical University of South Carolina.