Older adults commonly have age-related back, neck and spinal pain or stiffness from our cartilage, joints and discs wearing down from everyday usage or losing water and shrinking as we age. Over time, we can also experience narrowing of the space around our spine, or spinal stenosis, which puts pressure on the spinal cord and/or spinal nerves causing symptoms ranging from pain, numbness, tingling to progressive loss of function. Spinal arthritis, also a degenerative condition, can occur when the joints above and below vertebrae begin to degenerate. In addition to age-related wearing down of the disc and other tissues, this could result in abnormal curvature of the spine commonly referred to as Degenerative Scoliosis. This condition could cause a debilitating functional problem. Some adults experience decreased bone mass – osteopenia or osteoporosis, which leaves us more vulnerable to vertebral fractures even with a low impact injury or fall. If you experience neck and back pain, don’t ignore it because even if it’s age related there are treatments that can help no matter what your age.