The purpose of this study was to examine the mechanical stresses on the lower back as the response of different heights of constraining barrier. Ten male subjects lifted a load from the floor to the knuckle height under the non-constrained and the constrained conditions with 4 different heights of constraining barrier (80%, 100%, 120% and 140% of knee height). The constrained condition was defined as the condition where a load was placed on the floor behind a certain level of bar. When lifting of the constrained conditions, subjects significantly increased the peak compressive forces at L5/S1 compared to the non-constrained (3868.8 ± 527.5 N, 4175.0 ± 486.0 N, 4162.4 ± 462.3 N, 4136.0 ± 553.1 N, 4079.4 ± 468.9 N for 0%, 80%, 100%, 120% and 140% barrier height conditions respectively). The subjects moved the load further from L5/S1 in the horizontal direction when lifting during the constrained conditions. While lifting during the constrained conditions subjects generated an increase in the sacral angle and a decrease of the knee flexion. The peak compressive forces at L5/S1 showed a statistically significant quadratic trend. However, the magnitude of the difference of peak compressive forces during the constrained conditions was small.