4 Overlooked Causes Of Back Pain In Your Fifties

Category: Back Pain | Author: Stefano Sinicropi

Spinal Instability

As we get older, our likelihood of developing back pain increases for a number of reasons. For starters, all that stress we’ve put on our back and our bodies over the years takes its toll, and we don’t bounce back from injury as quickly as we once did. With that in mind, we need to be more cognizant of some of the common underlying causes of back pain development in our life. It sounds easy, but oftentimes some underlying causes can be easily overlooked. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at four overlooked causes of back pain once you hit your fifties.

Surprising Sources Of Back Pain In Your Fifties

While natural degeneration and acute trauma from incidents like a fall are the most obvious sources of pain, they are far from the only causes of back pain in your fifties and beyond. Here’s a look at four oft-overlooked contributors to back pain as you get older.

  1. Stress – As we take on more responsibilities as we get older, we can also become burdened with more stress. Stress and anxiety are mental factors, but they can have physical manifestations and actually cause or worsen back pain. Stress can also develop in the form of a tension headache, leading to pain in your head and neck region. While it’s easier said than done to “destress your life,” really focus on eliminating stress where you can and finding different ways to manage everyday stress. Whether that’s through exercise or a hobby, find a way to alleviate stress in a healthy manner.
  2. Your Shoes – By your fifties, you probably don’t pay as much attention to your feet and your shoe choices. After all, your shoe size has remained the same for a while now, and you may no longer be chasing the latest styles that tend to be hard on your feet. However, poor shoe choice isn’t just hard on your feet, it can also have consequences for your spine. High heels and open-toed sandals can change how stress is channeled throughout the body and ask more of your spine. Strive to regularly wear comfortable and supportive shoes.
  1. Your Mattress – If you have back pain, odds are it feels better when you lie down, but that doesn’t mean your mattress is helping to relieve your back pain. In fact, your mattress may actually be contributing to your spinal discomfort. If you haven’t replaced your mattress in a decade or more, there’s a good chance it’s no longer providing the lumbar or cervical support you expect, even if it doesn’t outwardly feel like your spine isn’t being supported when you lie down. Consider investing in a newer mattress that better contours to your body and provides total spinal support.
  2. Prolonged Sitting – Sitting doesn’t feel like all that laborious of a process, but extended and uninterrupted stress on your lumbar spine can manifest in the form of pain and discomfort. If we allow ourselves to become more sedentary as we get older, prolonged sitting can become more common and expedite posture-related spinal problems. It can also worsen conditions like spinal stenosis or disc issues. Make it a point to remain physically active each day, and if you’re going to sit down to rest, read or watch television, break up these seated sessions every thirty minutes by walking around or doing something active for a couple of minutes.

If you want help identifying your underlying cause of back pain, and more importantly, how to treat it, reach out to Dr. Sinicropi and his team of spine care experts today.

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