Table Of ContentBack Pain Exercises for Seniors:
Simple Movements to Decrease Back Pain, Improve
Posture, and Prevent Injury After 60
(Strength, Yoga & Core Training for Seniors)
Scott D. Murray
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Copyright © Scott D. Murray, 2022.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Our Bodies and Ageing
Back Pain: Is it a Normal Part of Getting Older
What Causes Back Pain?
Chapter 2: The power of your core
Everyday Core Training
Benefits of a Strong Core
How to Strengthen your Core
Chapter 3: Specific Exercise Strategies for Back Relief
Chapter 4: Exercise and Back Pain
Benefits of Exercise
Exercise as Prescription for Back Pain
Maintaining the Exercise Program over Time
Why Exercise is Necessary for Your Back Pain
Exercise and Fitness to Help your Back
How Exercise Helps the Back
Chapter 5: The power of Stretching for Back Pain Relief
General Tips for Stretching to Reduce Back Pain
Stretches for Low Back Pain
Chapter 6: Back Strengthening Exercises
Physical Therapy Programs
Common Forms of Strengthening Exercises
Chapter 7: Low-Impact Aerobic Back Exercises
Benefits of Aerobic Exercise
Types of Low Impact Exercise
Chapter 8: Healing your Back with Yoga
Healing Benefits of Yoga
Main Components of Yoga
How Yoga Helps the Back
Mental benefits of Yoga
Yoga Poses for Your Back
Chapter 9: Core back exercises for Seniors
Chapter 10: Back Bracing for Lower Back Pain Relief
Types of Back Braces used for Lower Back Pain Relief
When to Consider a Back Brace
How to Use and Wear a Lower Back Brace
Chapter 11: Pilates Exercise System to Promote Back Health
Pilates Exercise and Back Pain
Chapter 12: Best Back Strengthening Exercises for Seniors
Best Back Exercises to Help Seniors
Things to Avoid
Chapter 13: Simple Daily Habits to Stop Back Pain
10 daily habits to stop back pain
Chapter 14: Natural Ways to Relieve Back Pain
Chapter 1: Our Bodies and Ageing
Back Pain: Is it a Normal Part of Getting Older
Similar to graying hair and losing track of where you put your keys, back or
neck pain seems to become more common as we age. But it is an issue of
degree. What level of back discomfort is abnormal? Is that piercing, stabbing
sensation just "creakiness" brought on by ageing, or might it be a sign of
something more serious?
This is a common query, according to Penn Medicine doctor Alexis Barry,
MD, CAQSM. Along with some symptoms that may point to illness or
damage, Dr. Barry talks about several markers of an ageing spine.
Normal or Not
It's common to experience neck or back pain as you become older. According
to Dr. Barry, back discomfort and aches are inevitable parts of life. "Back and
neck pain are exceedingly prevalent; according to some estimates, 85% of
people will have back or neck discomfort at some point in their lives.
Dr. Barry claims that between the ages of 40 and 60, most people begin to
experience back pain. Although some people experience the consequences of
an ageing spine as early as age 30, there isn't necessarily cause for alarm if it
starts earlier.
While a small amount of back pain is completely natural, there are a number
of indicators that your neck or back pain is coming from something more
serious, like a tumour or infection.
A doctor should be consulted if back or neck discomfort becomes
incapacitatingly severe, advises Dr. Barry. "Make sure you consult a doctor if
you experience substantial pain while you engage in routine activities, such
as working out or exercising."
If you experience any of the following symptoms in addition to neck or back
discomfort, you should visit a doctor:
● Fevers
● Unaccounted-for weight loss
● Nighttime pain that worsens
● Bowel or bladder leakage
● Leg pain that travels downwards sharply
● Tingling or numbness
● Weakness
● Severe pain that doesn't go away even after resting
● The discomfort you feel after falling or getting hurt
Even if you don't have these symptoms, it won't hurt to visit a doctor if you
have neck or back pain.
Even while back or neck pain is unavoidable, you don't have to tolerate it,
explains Dr. Barry. "If you don't treat it, you run the risk of losing your
ability to function as you once could. You can find it challenging to carry out
your duties or take pleasure in your pastimes.
Your doctor might suggest the following to treat pain:
● Medications
● Injections
● Surgery
● Physical therapy
What Causes Back Pain?
Discs
Back or neck pain frequently results from discs, the gel-like cushions that sit
between the vertebrae (bones in the spine). They enable your back to flex or
bend and assist in maintaining the natural curve of your spine. Most
significantly, discs cushion the impact of walking or running.
A herniated disc is one that has ruptured, oozing its jelly-like center and
causing adjacent nerves to tingle. Herniated discs are probably the most
frequent cause of back pain in younger people, but they are still a major
source of discomfort in older patients, according to Dr. Barry.
The discs dry out and lose some of their malleable and spongy qualities as
you age, he claims. "They stiffen up, which raises your chance of developing
a herniated disc.
Arthritis
Another typical reason for back or neck pain is osteoarthritis, a kind of
arthritis characterized by "wear and tear."
A flexible, elastic substance called cartilage lines the joints between the
vertebrae. The cartilage deteriorates with aging. The discs also start to dry up
and get smaller, which increases pressure on the joints. Back discomfort may
result from the inflammation that this pressure generates.
Cervical spondylosis may be to blame when neck pain is the primary location
of spine pain (arthritis of the neck). When the bones and cartilage in the neck
experience abnormal wear, cervical spondylosis results.
Spinal Stenosis
Spinal stenosis patients visit Dr. Barry frequently complaining of pain.
When the spine narrows in one or more places, it develops spinal stenosis.
The compression on the spinal cord or nerves due to the constriction results
in pain, numbness, or cramping.
One of the major risk factors for spinal stenosis is aging, although other
variables that can contribute to this illness include:
● Joint (arthritis) and bone disease
● Herniated discs
● Tumours
● spinal cord injuries
Can you maintain a young spine?
There is a technique to lessen your risk of experiencing severe back pain,
even if some back discomfort is normal as you get older. Dr. Barry says, "I
always say—weight, weight, weight."
According to Dr. Barry, "every pound you carry exerts pressure on your
musculoskeletal system." Generally speaking, each pound places 4 pounds of
pressure on the system when walking and 8 pounds of pressure when
running. It's crucial to keep a healthy weight since the less strain you put on
your back, the better.
Dr. Barry advises regular aerobic exercise, such as riding, jogging, or
walking, in addition to consuming a balanced diet. He asserts that exercise
supports weight loss and back health.
Just be cautious—if exercise is making your pain worse, consult your doctor.
Dr. Barry declares that "everything that produces pain is wrong." Pain is the
body's natural, inbuilt signal that something is wrong with what we're doing.
Never entertain any form of pain," he added.
