Relative to contact sports, like football or rugby, baseball appears to be safe. However, the extreme motions involved in pitching and swinging put baseball players at risk of injury. In young players, poor mechanics often contribute to back strains and injuries.

Basketball represents an aerobic sport that offers a variety of health benefits, including enhanced bone strength and the power to burn calories quickly, but the sudden movements and jerking motions required by basketball often result in strains that cause lower back pain.

According to MayoClinic.com, a herniated disc is most commonly experienced by middle-aged individuals. This bulging, or herniation, of the gelatinous discs between the vertebrae, can cause significant pain and weakness.

Degeneration of the thoracic spine refers to changes in the discs between vertebrae that separate and cushion the bone. The discs lose their elasticity and thickness, and while the thoracic spine is the least likely segment of the spine to suffer such changes, it does occur.

Inversion therapy, a subset of spinal decompression therapy, is becoming popular. However, if you suffer from neck pain, you should know a few things before spending your hard-earned money on an inversion table. This therapy isn't for everyone.

While lumbar back ache represents one of the most common musculoskeletal complaints, lower back injuries have many different causes. Symptoms of back pain and fatigue, however, most often arise from systematic overuse of muscles.

There are 14 main ligaments in your back, called spinal ligaments, which help protect your vertebrae and keep them in position and help you stay upright, according to the Spine Universe website.

Your spine or vertebral column is comprised of four sections. The cervical vertebrae naturally curves inward and makes up the neck and upper back. The thoracic spine is the upper and mid-back and naturally curves outward a bit. Next is your lumbar or low back area that naturally curves in.

The rhomboids are the very thin muscles located in your upper back between the shoulder blades. Since the rhomboids connect the shoulder blade (or scapula) to the spinal column, the relatively small muscles are responsible for a heavy burden that includes pulling your shoulders back for correct posture.

Pain from exercise does not automatically appear during the routine. Discomfort after the fact is common. However, severe pain is always a concern. Lower back discomfort may be a sign of an injury and not just normal muscle ache.

A herniated disk occurs when the soft center of a disk in your spinal column seeps out. A herniated disk may result from poor postural habits or degenerative disk disease because of aging or a decrease in the water content of the disks.

A tumor composed of dilated blood vessels that grows along the bones in the spinal cord is a condition called a vertebral or spinal hemangioma. People with this type of spinal tumor typically don't experience symptoms, especially when the hemangioma is small.