Nearly everyone will experience some form of lumbar pain in his or her lifetime. The low back is the area behind the belly from the rib cage to the pelvis and is also called the lumbar region. Back pain is a major cause of missed work. Lumbar pain can start in a person's early twenties and continue on throughout adulthood. Studies have shown that up to 80% of the general population are affected by lumbar pain at some time during their lives.