Navigating Healthcare: A Guide to Modern Medicine and Wellness

Spinal Stenosis

preventing spinal stenosis

Preventing Spinal Stenosis: Sports Practices and Exercises for a Healthier Back

Originally posted on: https://healthbennies.com/preventing-spinal-stenosis-sports-practices-and-exercises-for-a-healthier-back/   Spinal stenosis, a condition characterized by the narrowing of the spinal canal, poses a significant…

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back pain in seniors

Common Degenerative Spine Conditions

Degenerative Spine ConditionsOf all the systems in the human body, undoubtedly the spinal column is one of the most complex. Within this complex structure is an intricate arrangement of vertebrae, discs, nerves, muscles, and ligaments. It’s that complexity that gives the spine its many functions. Of course, it’s also what makes the spine one of the most vulnerable structures in the body. And, even though spine conditions can occur to anyone at any time, especially due to injury, older folks are far more susceptible to degenerative spine conditions, which are medical conditions that develop over time. As we age, our bodies naturally have taken more of a toll as the years have worn on, making each and every one of us more susceptible to suffering conditions of the spine related to the years of stress and burden we’ve endured throughout life. Following is more information from spine specialists in Morristown and throughout the country regarding the most common of these degenerative spine conditions, including osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis, and degenerative disc disease.

Common Causes of Back Pain in Seniors

Chronic back pain is a common problem reported by about 50 percent of adults living in community care facilities, according to one study. Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a disabling and challenging pain condition affecting older adults, who sometimes have to seek out professionals or the top spine specialist to find answers for their problems.

There are three primary reasons back pain tends to get worse with aging:

  1. Decreased muscle strength and mass associated with aging (sarcopenia).This could be due to a decrease in number of muscle fibers, the size of the individual fibers or both.
  1. Fast twitch fiber atrophy is also associated with aging. This results in slower muscle contraction but this can be reversed with training.
    1. Decreased muscle attenuation is associated with aging muscle.