Minor degeneration may cause few or no symptoms. As the condition progresses, you may experience:
- General lower back stiffness
- Loss of spinal movement
- Low back pain
With more severe degeneration involving spinal cord or nerve compression, you may experience:
- Pain
- Pins and needles
- Weakness or numbness in the lower back, buttocks, groin, legs or feet
Symptoms may be worse during activities that repetitively or continuously straighten or extend the spine or during activities that place weight on the spine such as lifting, prolonged standing or walking. Symptoms tend to ease during activities that bend the spine (sitting) or take weight off it (lying down).