腰痛

• Reading: ようつう
• Romaji: yōtsū
• Kanji breakdown: 腰 (lower back, waist) + 痛 (pain) → lower back pain
• Pronunciation: /joː.tsuː/

Meaning

Lower back pain; a common physical complaint especially among working adults and the elderly.

腰痛 is Japan's second most common physical complaint after 肩こり. Long hours sitting at desks, aging demographics, and physical labor all contribute. The term is used so casually in everyday conversation that discussing one's 腰痛 is practically a social ritual among middle-aged Japanese. Treatment ranges from traditional options like 整体 and 接骨院 to modern ergonomic chairs and exercises.

Examples

1. 腰痛がひどくて朝起き上がるのもつらい。 My lower back pain is so bad that even getting up in the morning is tough.
2. 在宅勤務始めてから腰痛が悪化した人多いよね。 A lot of people's back pain got worse after they started working from home, right?
3. 腰痛予防に体幹トレーニングがいいらしいよ。 Apparently core training is good for preventing lower back pain.

Usage Guide

Context: daily conversation, workplace, health

Tone: complaining, matter-of-fact

Do Say

• 腰痛持ちだから重いもの持てないんだよね。 (I have chronic back pain so I can't lift heavy things.)
• 腰痛にはストレッチと姿勢改善が大事だよ。 (For lower back pain, stretching and posture improvement are important.)

Don't Say

• 「腰痛くらいで」と軽く見ない — 慢性腰痛は生活に大きく影響する (Don't minimize it with 'it's just back pain' — chronic lower back pain seriously affects quality of life)

Common Mistakes

• Using 腰痛 for any back pain — it specifically refers to the lower back (腰) area, not upper or middle back pain

Origin & History

Compound of 腰 (lower back/waist) + 痛 (pain). One of the most universally experienced health issues, deeply embedded in Japanese daily vocabulary.

Cultural Context

Era: Age-old complaint, always relevant

Generation: All ages, especially 40s and above

Social background: Universal

Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. Along with 肩こり, it's the most common health complaint, and discussing it is almost a bonding ritual among middle-aged workers.