Low Back Pain in Older Adults: What It Is, Why It Happens, and How to Treat It
Low back pain is a common problem that affects many older adults. While it may feel difficult to live with low back pain at times, several practical approaches to managing low back pain can help you stay active year after year.
Essential Exercises for Spinal Stenosis to Enhance Spinal Health
If your doctor has recommended exercises for spinal stenosis, you’re on the path to regaining mobility and reducing discomfort. Spinal stenosis can make daily activities challenging, but with the right exercises, significant relief is within reach. This article will introduce you to effective exercises for spinal stenosis, such as the Counter Stretch and Child’s Pose […]
Swayback Posture: Causes, Risks, and Treatment
Do you feel an increased pressure in your lower back or a sensation of your upper body leaning backward? Do you notice your stomach protruding or your pelvis tilting forward? If so, you may have what’s known as a “swayback” posture, also called hyperlordosis. This condition results in a pronounced arch in the lower back […]
Neck & Back Pain: Driving Without Pain
If you’ve ever had neck and back pain, you know that it can make simple activities like driving your car uncomfortable. For many older adults, finding strategies to improve comfort during driving can make a big difference in everyday life. By making the proper car seat adjustments and creating an action plan, you can enjoy […]
What Are the Benefits of Lumbar Traction? A Physical Therapist Explains
Lumbar traction, a practice with roots in ancient civilizations, has evolved into a sophisticated technique for managing lower back pain. By applying controlled forces to the spine, lumbar traction alleviates pressure on spinal discs and nerves, relieving various spinal conditions. Understanding the types of traction, its effects, and the indications and contraindications is essential for […]
A Guide to Managing Degenerative Scoliosis
Degenerative scoliosis affects many adults, resulting from age-related changes such as disc degeneration, osteoporosis, and arthritis. This condition manifests with symptoms that include lower back pain, changes in posture, and difficulties in walking. The risk of developing degenerative scoliosis increases with age, lifestyle choices, and previous spinal injuries. Diagnosing this condition requires thorough physical exams […]
Spinal Decompression at Home: A Guide for Back Pain Prevention
Back pain can be frustrating, affecting our daily activities and overall quality of life. Spinal decompression at home could offer significant relief without visiting a hospital. So, what is spinal decompression exactly, and how can it be done in the comfort of your home? Decompression offers several advantages for older adults with chronic back pain […]
A Guide to Using a TENS Unit for Lower Back Pain Relief
Discover how a TENS unit can relieve lower back pain for seniors: its benefits, how to use it, and best practices for maximum benefit.
When Back Pain Isn’t Just Back Pain
Back pain is a common problem for older adults that can vary widely between individuals, but when is back pain an emergency? In some cases, back pain can be so debilitating that it feels like an emergency, yet many older adults aren’t sure when there is cause for worry. Knowing the difference between normal back […]
Navigating Spinal Fusion Surgery Recovery
Aging gracefully often comes with its fair share of challenges. Among these are the persistent neck and back aches that no number of massages or over-the-counter painkillers seem to alleviate. For some more serious cases, the proposed solution, often seen as a last resort, is spinal fusion surgery. Spinal fusion surgery is a major procedure […]
The Best Sitting Positions for Lower Back Pain
Explore causes of back pain in older adults from sitting and discover actionable solutions for comfort in daily scenarios.
What Causes a Rounded Back?
A rounded back is an understandable concern for many older adults. While many seniors live with kyphosis or forward curvature of the upper spine, it is often a mysterious and poorly understood condition. It can be helpful to understand the basics of kyphosis and its various causes, its symptoms and diagnosis, and the best treatment options […]
Drug-Free Alternatives for Back Pain Relief: Why Medication May Not Be the Best Option
Back pain can make your favorite activities and your daily life more difficult. When new back pain or flare-ups arise, most people will do whatever they have to relieve pain and keep their symptoms under control. While medications are commonly prescribed to treat back pain, many older adults are now seeking drug-free alternatives for either […]
Slipping a Disk: Exploring Disk Herniation
Up to 80% of individuals will suffer from back pain at some point in their lives, and in many cases, disc herniation is to blame. Despite being incredibly painful for some people, most cases improve with a few weeks to months of conservative treatment, including traditional medicinal and complementary options. Spinal Anatomy To better understand […]
Best Sleeping Position for Lower Back Pain
When you are dealing with back pain lying down on your back with your legs elevated on pillows or on the couch arm is the most decompressive position to rest the back and is the best place to start with acute pain. Low back pain is an extremely common complaint, with approximately 80% of the […]
Spinal Stenosis: The Other Cause of Back Pain
Lumbar spinal stenosis is a common condition, affecting more than 200,000 adults in the United States. Lumbar spinal stenosis is the most common reason for spinal surgery in patients over the age of 65; however, surgery has shown no significant benefit over conservative treatment options. If you have recently received a diagnosis of lumbar spinal […]
Sitting Not Helping Back Pain
“I’m trying to rest my back but it isn’t helping. Could sitting be causing my back pain?” -Daniel Daniel, you have a good thought that if you are in acute low back pain that resting may be a good option. However, you want to make sure you are not sitting to the point of it […]
Ask a PT: “What exercises help a sore back?”
What Exercises Help a Sore Back? In general you can break down low back pain into two major categories. Disorders that affect the front of the spine versus the back of the spine. (The front being the disc and surrounding tissues and the back being the joints and ligament structures called facet joints.) Disorders in the […]
