The risk of hurting your back is higher in the morning than in the afternoon, a study shows.

A team from The George Institute for Global Health and the University of Sydney analyzed 1,000 patients who had an episode of acute back pain.

“Most people report that back pain starts in the morning between 8am and 11am,” study leader Manuela Ferreira said. “That’s when you really have to be watching out for yourself.” Back pain affects about 10% of the world’s population.

Associate Professor Ferreira said the back might be more susceptible to injury in the morning because spinal discs swelled with fluid overnight, potentially leaving them more susceptible to stresses. The most common trigger for back pain was becoming distracted during a manual task.

“Physical working and being distracted will increase your risk of back pain by 25 times,” Prof Ferreira said. “Being fatigued while engaged in a menial task will increase your chance of having back pain by three times.”

The study also found it’s not just long-term stresses on the back that lead to injury. “Until now most research shows that you had to be exposed to heavy lifting or lifting while in an awkward position repeatedly,” Prof. Ferreira said. “What we found is that even occasional heavy lifting will increase very highly your chance of developing moderate to severe back pain.”

Back Pain Triggers:

  • Distraction during a physical task
  • Manual tasks involving awkward positions
  • Lifting objects far from the body
  • Lifting people or animals
  • A slip, trip or fall
  • Lifting heavy loads
  • Moderate to vigorous physical activity
  • Fatigue or tiredness