Who Gets Back Pain?

(Click HERE to find out about out FREE low back pain workshops)

Low back pain can be caused by nerve and muscular problems, degenerative disc disease, and arthritis. Younger adults (age 30 to 50) are more likely to experience back pain from the lumbar disc or from a muscle strain. Older adults (age 50+) are more likely to suffer from arthritic joint degeneration. While low back pain is extremely common, the symptoms and severity of lower back pain vary greatly.

The following are six possible contributors of low back pain.

Age: Back pain is more common as we age. You may first have back pain in your 30’s but the incidence increases in our 50’s and 60’s, as our tissues become less elastic and more arthritic. Research shows that 80% of the population will suffer from some sort of low back pain in their life.

Heredity: Some types of back pain, caused from specific forms of arthritis, can have a genetic component to it. One such disease is ankylosing spondylitis. Ankylosing spondylitis is form of arthritis that involves fusion of the spinal joints leading to some immobility of the spine.

Smoking: Smoking causes the cellular tissues to take less oxygen and nutrients, People who smoke are slower to heal so back pain can last longer. Researchers have discovered that smoking history, hypertension, and coronary artery disease were significantly associated with the development of low back pain.

Weight: A high calorie diet causes excess weight gain can cause pain. Being overweight, obese, or quickly gaining significant amounts of weight put stress on the structures of the low back and can cause low back pain.

Activity: Lack of physical activity increases back pain, which is more common among people who are not physically fit. People who go out and exercise a lot after being inactive all week are more likely to suffer low back pain. Low-impact aerobic exercise is beneficial for the maintaining the integrity of discs and supporting muscles.

Job: If your job requires pushing, pulling, and twisting this can increase stress on your back and increase pain. A desk job, or other low activity job, can also lead to pain, especially if you have poor posture or sit all day in a chair with inadequate support.

Do you want to learn more to prevent or help with low back pain? Click Here to find out about our FREE low back pain workshops.

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Andrew Vertson

Physical Therapist at Intecore Physical Therapy

Andrew received his Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science from California State University, Fresno in 1991. He then earned his Master’s degree of Physical Therapy in 1996 and his Doctorate degree of Physical Therapy in 2002 from Loma Linda University. In 1996 he also earned his Certification as an Athletic Trainer. He has also completed extensive post-graduate course work in orthopedic manual therapy through Kaiser-West Los Angeles and the Ola Grimsby Institute.

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