Why does back pain develop with age?
Back pain develops with age as a result of the way you live your life. This is a relatively obvious answer, if you lead a very healthy lifestyle, then you will most likely remain pain-free longer. As we age our bodies go through a lot and pain is sometimes unavoidable but living a healthy life and taking precautions now to protect your health in the future can result in long-term benefits for your back, among many other things.
With all of the wear and tear our spines are exposed to over the years it is no surprise that the bones and discs start to degenerate. This is what usually causes the natural aches and pains you may experience in your back. Although this process may seem unavoidable, there are quite a few precautions you can take in your early life to help deter and potentially prevent back pain in your later years.
Healthy Lifestyle Practices
Healthy lifestyle practices can be the key to living back pain-free. Aging is the number one cause of back pain in later life, but applying just these three easy tips into your everyday life could prevent age-related back pain and possibly prevent it entirely!
It is a well-known fact that most Americans are overweight, and many children and young adults are showing signs of degeneration because of it. Degenerative changes and arthritis were previously symptoms that were only commonly seen in adults and the elderly, but now younger generations are displaying these inflammatory processes because of being severely overweight.
Remaining thin does not automatically mean you are healthy, though. In addition to remaining at a healthy weight, it is important to eat nutritious foods and a balanced diet. Eating a balanced diet is important because it will ensure that you are receiving all of the vitamins and nutrients your body needs. Helping "build healthy bones" is not just a figure of speech, the type of food you eat really will strengthen your body and help prevent bones from degenerating with old age.
Regular exercise can be extremely beneficial for your body. In addition to reducing the stress that causes tension in your back and neck, it will also keep your body loose and flexible and your muscles strong. Although exercising can do nothing but good for your back and body, overdoing it can be very harmful. Overworking your body by attempting to do exercises that are too difficult or lifting anything that is too heavy can damage your muscles and cause soreness in your lower back.
Remember to treat your body like a temple, because it is the only one you've got. Being reckless when you are young will just create unforeseen problems when you're older. Breaking bones or experiencing other injuries like whiplash can accelerate degeneration, so remember to be careful and prevent whatever accidents that you can.
To stop your back from hurting as you age, it is vital to have perfect posture. As humans, we spend over half of our lives either sitting or standing. If for the majority of this time we are practicing poor posture, our muscles will quickly become accustomed to this and adjust accordingly. If you often stand of sit in a slouched position, your muscles will eventually become shorter and shorter as a result. The tightness of your muscles will pull your body further forward, which can lead to the remolding of your back that will ultimately result in pain.
If you are already experiencing back pain, do not get discouraged! Back pain is treatable at any age and should not be ignored. Call Arrowhead Clinic today or click on the link below to set up a Free Consultation and to speak with an experienced physician about your treatment options and how we can help you improve back pain as you age!
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