Low back pain is a global health problem, which is related to intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) , but the mechanism is unknown. At present, it is possible to explore the pathogenesis of intervertebral disc degeneration and new therapeutic targets through the establishment of animal models. Animal models of intervertebral disc degeneration can be roughly divided into 4 types. This article mainly reviews the different methods to create intervertebral disc degeneration models, and compares the advantages and disadvantages of various models to meet suitable research fields.