Avoiding back pain as you get older

It sometimes seems inevitable: as you get older, things ache more — most noticeably, your back. But does it need to be that way? Can you avoid back problems as you age?

For a lot of common aches and pains, the answer is often yes (injury and degenerative issues or disease are a different animal). You should of course consult with an expert regarding your specific questions, as the spine is a complex structure. But there’s hope for those of us who may have assumed that back pain is unavoidable.

The back includes the 24 vertebrae of the spine along with discs and joints as well as a host of supporting muscles and ligaments. The key, according to many chiropractic experts, is to keep these parts in balance.

In other words, a lot of preventative measures come down to diet and exercise.

“Motion is lotion for the spine,” according to Cleveland Clinic, which recommends staying active. Movement can also help keep joints lubricated, which helps offset stiffness and creakiness. Other experts advise you to strengthen your core muscles to better support the spine.

Chiropractors and athletic trainers alike point to muscle imbalances as the cause of much back pain, whether it’s the lower, middle, or upper region. With an imbalance, proper posture is compromised and the load is unevenly distributed, creating strain.

A movement specialist can help identify whether your gait, posture, or other activity is creating an imbalance that you can correct.

Bottom line: aging is inevitable, but there appear to be more options than ever before for warding off the aches and pains that plagued our parents and grandparents. That’s great news for you and your back.