Ah, the old "lower back strain" injury. You see this primarily in baseball and in other non-contact sports. Claudio Vargas is being put on the disabled list, which makes room for Ben Sheets to rejoin the Milwaukee Brewews. Now, the timing might be nice for the Brewers, but lower back strain isn't something to mess with.

It's a very non-specific issue without more diagnosis. This means that some teams can use it to cover moves without much pressure. Still, lower back strain is extremely hard to perform with.

For instance, the back is influenced by pretty much all movements. Toss in the fact that muscle, nerves, ligaments, tendons and more all run through the back and you're looking at pain. 

What is a lower back strain? It's an all encompassing term, but typically it's any pain that radiates from above the buttocks to the mid-back area.  

How do you know if you have a lower back strain? Pain is the most obvious sign. Loss of flexibility and limitation of movement will be demonstrated if the strain is too much.

Can you test for lower back strain? Sure. Bend over, stretch side to side or jump up and down. If you have a lower back strain you'll feel it.

How do you treat a lower back strain? You first need to determine if it is muscular, bone or neurological. Most of the cases, almost all, are caused by muscular issues. For this type of lower back pain you need rest, massage, heat and physical therapy. There is no rushing back from lower back strain. Some people make the mistake of stopping all physical activity, which actually perpetuates the problem.