Final answer:
Recurrent lower back pain may lead to disc herniation, causing compression of a spinal nerve and resulting in pain and/or muscle weakness. Common sites for disc herniation are the L4/L5 or L5/S1 intervertebral discs, which can cause sciatica.
Step-by-step explanation:
Recurrent lower back pain may lead to a) Disc Herniation. When the posterior anulus fibrosus is weakened, the pressure exerted on the disc can cause the gel-like nucleus pulposus to protrude posteriorly through the anulus fibrosus, resulting in a herniated disc. This can lead to compression of a spinal nerve, causing pain and/or muscle weakness in the body regions supplied by that nerve. The most common sites for disc herniation are the L4/L5 or L5/S1 intervertebral discs, which can cause sciatica, a widespread pain that radiates from the lower back down the thigh and into the leg.