Adding Insult to Injury: Knee Pain More Likely in Back Pain Patients

By Editorial Staff

Getting old can be a pain, quite literally, and back pain is one of the worst offenders. Remember the commonly cited statistic that up to 80 percent of adults will suffer back pain at some point in their lives? Well, for older adults, low back pain is one of the major disabling health conditions they face.

One reason is that with age, any health problem can be more challenging because of physical limitations and a higher risk of the condition becoming chronic. Another reason is that as we get older, spinal discs begin to dry out and the spine gets stiffer, which can lead to pressure, pinching and pain.

Knee pain is also a major problem in older adults, by the way – and research suggests back pain and knee pain may be related in middle-aged and older adults. Researchers found that among people ages 50 and older, a higher back pain / disability score was an independent risk factor for knee pain. In other words, older adults with back pain were also more likely to suffer knee pain.

The moral to the story is an important one, and it doesn't necessarily have to do with back or knee pain specifically (note that the study, published in Arthritis Research & Therapy, doesn't prove back pain causes knee pain or vice versa, although there is an anatomical connection): Pain can be a big problem if not addressed! That's where chiropractic can help, whether by helping relieving the pain naturally ... or by helping prevent the pain with periodic adjustments. Now that's a win-win people of all ages deserve to enjoy.