Back pain can affect people of any age, for different reasons. As people get older, the chance of developingTrusted Source lower back pain increases, due to factors such as previous occupation and degenerative disk disease.
Lower back pain may be linked to the bony lumbar spine, discs between the vertebrae, ligaments around the spine and discs, spinal cord and nerves, lower back muscles, abdominal and pelvic internal organs, and the skin around the lumbar area.
Arthritis of the Spine
Arthritis of the spine — the slow degeneration of the spinal joints — is the most frequent cause of lower back pain. All of us experience wear and tear as we age, and it is normal for your lower back to start acting up as you get older. As the cartilage breaks down between the spinal joints, surrounding tissues may become inflamed. The inflammation and the thinning of cartilage increase friction in the joints, which may cause pain in the lower back.
Herniated Discs
A herniated, or bulging, disc is a disc that has “spilled out” of its lining. This happens most frequently in the lower back. The injured disc may not always hurt. But even if it’s painless, its contents can press on or irritate nearby nerves, causing pain in the lower back and other areas.
Back Injuries
A bad fall or a car accident can cause a lower back injury. But so can carrying a laundry basket up the stairs. Some back injuries can be sudden and traumatic, and some happen slowly over time.