Back muscle pain is suffered by up to 80% of adults which makes it an extremely common type of back pain. The severity of back muscle pain varies from moderate to brutal. Back muscle pain is hardly serious, but can be extremely painful.

Spasm or extreme muscle stiffening may be produced by back muscles after a traumatic injury or repetitive strain. The difference between a traumatic injury and a repetitive strain is that with a repetitive strain the muscles are being irritated over a long period of time until they reach a point that finally triggers the spasm. To protect the area from further injury, muscles then spasm. This can be extremely painful resulting in the tearing of muscles if undue stressors are put on them. Through extreme stiffening this tearing protects the back musculature as to avoid the area from further harm.

After the initial injury, proper care of the area should lessen the pain in three weeks. However, the healing process continues and peaks in over six weeks. The reason is scar tissue formation which bonds the tissue back together by acting like the glue. In severe back pulls, scar tissue will continue to form as long as a year.

Minimizing any inflammation, supporting and protecting the muscles, and helping them to loosen up are the ways treatment of a bothering muscle is approached. To lessen the chance of further injury and let the muscle regain its normal flexibility procedures that help break down the scar tissue in the muscle are performed after the scar tissue has begun to accumulate.