If an aching back is starting to feel more like a regular thing — and less like something you randomly pulled at the gym — well, you’re not alone. About 6 million older adults in the U.S. live with chronic lower back pain. In a 2019 survey by the National Center for Health Statistics, almost 46 percent of adults 65 and older said they experienced back pain in the past three months.
“As we get older, we start to lose fluid in our discs,” explains Gbolahan Okubadejo, M.D., an orthopedic spine surgeon with the Institute for Comprehensive Spine Care. As we lose fluid, the discs tend to collapse and “we get stiffer and the risk of injury becomes greater,” he says. From there, plenty of lifestyle habits raise your risk. Some of these — hoisting your grandkid or overdoing the gardening — are obvious, but some aren’t. Here are 10 surprising culprits that may play a role in the pain in your back.
1. You aren’t drinking enough milk
It’s not the milk per se, but the vitamin D it comes with; some studies have found that those with the most severe back pain had the lowest levels of vitamin D.
The vitamin’s effect on bone health could help explain the connection. Research in the journal Menopause found that among postmenopausal women considering spine surgery, those with severe vitamin D deficiency had more severe disc degeneration and back pain. Stronger bones can help protect against back pain and other disabling issues. Consult your physician about your vitamin D levels, says A.Nick Shamie , M.D., professor and chief of spine surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
2. Your core is weak
The muscles in your midsection make up the “core,” says physical therapist Karena Wu of ActiveCare Physical Therapy in New York City. A weak core can mean chronic back pain.
To help build strength, sit or stand straight, imagining that there’s a string attached to the top of your head, pulling you upward. Now tighten your abdominal muscles, trying not to move your pelvis, ribs or shoulders. Hold that position as long as you’re comfortable.
For more information on the surprising causes of back pain in older adults, from AARP, CLICK HERE.
