Why Does Back Pain Tend To Get Worse As You Grow Older?

Back pain is something that anyone of any age can experience, but it's much more common in folks who have a few more years under their belts. If you're going through this problem and are wondering why it's becoming more common and what you can do to get help, then here's what you need to know.

Bad Habits

One of the problems that can potentially lead to back pain is bad habits - namely, poor posture.

Poor posture can put a strain on the spine and back muscles over time, especially if you've had poor posture for years or even decades. While you're unlikely to experience any issues in the short term, after years of this behavior, it can start to become noticeably painful. This is just one reason why maintaining good posture through your life is ideal. The good news is that fixing your posture now can still help to reduce the discomfort you're experiencing.

Gravity

Another common problem that can cause back pain in older folks is simply the impact of gravity. Gravity naturally pushes down on anything that has weight, which includes your body, spine, and muscles. As you get older, this long-term exposure to gravity can make the vertebrae of your spine gradually push closer together and slide further down your spine to the base. This is part of the reason why you may hear a crack or pop when you bend over. This is the sound of your vertebrae moving farther apart again and back into a more proper position. However, the results of bending over are temporary, and the vertebrae will start to slide closer together after a while.

Cushioning

One of the biggest issues facing older people with back pain is that some cushioning is naturally lost between the vertebrae. When you're young, the cartilage between the vertebrae helps to keep them far apart, even with the impact of gravity. But as this cartilage starts to become thinner, it can no longer do its job as well. In extreme cases, this can even lead to arthritis of the spine.

While there isn't much you can do about the natural process of aging, that doesn't mean that you're doomed to have back pain. What you need to do to handle this problem is to visit a chiropractor. Chiropractors are spine experts and can perform a series of stretches and adjustments on your spine that will help everything to move back to where it belongs. They can also show you exercises that you can do to help maintain your results at home. This will help to reduce the discomfort you're feeling, but will also slow down the process of your vertebrae cushioning degrading, which may help you to feel less back pain in the years to come, too.

To learn more about treating back pain, contact a chiropractor.

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