The Aging Lower Back

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common condition that affects the joints, particularly the smooth covering called hyaline cartilage located on the surfaces of all moving joints. It’s the shiny, silky smooth surface that we’ve all seen at the end of a chicken leg when we separate it from the thigh. OA is caused by the “wear and tear” factor on our joints, which can eventually progress to “bone-on-bone” contact where little to no movement is left in the affected joint. Bone spurs can also occur and be another potential generator of back pain.

When the low back is affected by OA, it may not even hurt! Yes, in some cases, there may be a significant amount of OA on an x-ray and that patient may not have significant problems. Or the opposite can occur and some patients with very little arthritis can have a lot of back trouble. It’s frequently very confusing. The “take-home” message with OA is that it, in and of itself, does not always generate pain. This is why the history, physical examination, and the response to treatment (chiropractic adjustments, exercise, and possibly some lifestyle changes in diet and activity) are MORE important than the amount of arthritis found on the x-rays .

As for low back pain in elderly population, it is a common problem that affects 36% to 70% of older adults over 65 years old . Osteoarthritis is one of the causes of low back pain in elderly population . The condition can be difficult to diagnose as it can be hard to tell which symptoms are linked to osteoarthritis. It can even be hard to spot back and neck problems on x-rays of the spine as changes caused by osteoarthritis don’t always cause pain . Therefore, it’s important to seek medical attention if you have joint pain or stiffness that doesn’t go away .