Older adults will often experience musculoskeletal diseases affecting the spine, with spondyloarthritis and osteoporosis with vertebral fractures often the cause of pain and functional decline. Seniors with such problems may find themselves unable to push or pull large objects, or at times even reach above their heads. They may have problems lifting groceries from the floor, and bending at the waist may increase the risk for vertebral fractures in people with osteoporosis. Additionally, thoracic vertebral fractures (middle back) will result in decreasing functional vital capacity, predisposing older adults to chronic lung disease and pneumonias.
Self-reported back and neck pain rates peaked in the age range of 45 to 64 in 2012, and were reported at slightly lower rates for persons age 65 years and older. Roughly one in three people aged 45 years and older reported back or neck pain.
About 4 in 100 persons reported limitations with activities of daily living due to a chronic back or neck problem, with the highest rate (6.5 in 100) among people aged 65 to 74 years. The oldest population, those aged 75 years and older, have most difficulty walking without equipment (4.1 in 100) due to back pain. People aged 45 to 64 years reported the highest rate (3.5 in 100) of being unable to work because of chronic back and neck problems, while people aged 65 to 74 years reported the highest rate (2.6 in 100) with limitations in kind or amount of work. (Reference Table 9B.2.1 PDF [1] CSV [2])
People aged 65 to 74 years had the highest rate of healthcare visits for back and neck pain (40.8 per 100 persons), but accounted for only 14% of the 65.4 million total healthcare visits made by adults for back or neck pain in 2010, due to their smaller share of the total population. The rate of healthcare visits was similar for people aged 75 years and older (36.8 per 100) and those aged 45 to 64 years (33.3 per 100). While only 17.8 in 100 people ages 18 to 44 years had a healthcare visit in 2010 for back and neck pain, this age group comprised 31% of all visits. Total healthcare visits included hospital discharges, emergency department (ED) and outpatient clinic visits, and physician office visits.
Those aged 45 to 64 years had the highest rate of spinal fusion procedures performed for back or neck pain. One in five, or 20.5%, of hospital discharges in this age group with a back or neck pain diagnosis had a spinal fusion procedure performed. People aged 75 years and older have a low rate of spinal fusion procedures (5.5%). (Reference Table 9B.2.2 PDF [3] CSV [4])
People aged 65 years and older account for only a small share (0.7%) of people who report taking a bed day due to spinal pain or problems, in spite of the number who report having pain. Younger people, aged 18 to 45 years, account for slightly more than half (52%) of the total 170.7 million bed days taken in 2012 due to back pain. (Reference Table 9B.2.1 PDF [1] CSV [2])
Lost work days due to spine pain or problems in 2012 were taken primarily by people aged 18 to 64 years, the prime workforce ages, and split nearly equally between those under and over the age of 45 years. In 2012, 290.8 million work days were reported lost due to back pain. (Reference Table 9B.2.1 PDF [1] CSV [2])
Links:
[1] https://www.boneandjointburden.org/docs/T9B.2.1.pdf
[2] https://www.boneandjointburden.org/docs/T9B.2.1.csv
[3] https://www.boneandjointburden.org/docs/T9B.2.2.pdf
[4] https://www.boneandjointburden.org/docs/T9B.2.2.csv