Myths and Facts About “Old Age” Pain

It’s one of the most common things we see in the clinic: a client who thinks his or her achey back, knee, shoulder, or neck is just a normal part of getting older.

But hold on—aren’t there 100-year-olds who run marathons? (Yes—look up Fauja Singh, who ran a 10K at age 101.) If pain really was an inevitable part of aging, how are there people older than you staying active and living pain-free? 

The truth is that aging actually has very little to do with stiffness, soreness, and “bad” joints. Problems like that are usually the result of years of bad habits.

Think of it this way: let’s say that as a child, you used to eat a banana split every day. You continued to do this every single day, without fail, through your teens, your 20s, your 30s…all the way up to your 80s.

By this point, you’ve had an extremely unhealthy diet for decades…so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that you’re experiencing health complications like obesity or diabetes.

Your doctor would never tell you, “Becoming diabetic is just a normal part of growing older.” Of course it isn’t! There are millions of people in their 80s without diabetes. These hypothetical health problems are happening because you practiced a bad habit—eating banana splits 365 days a year—and the side effects have been slowly catching up for 80 years.

The same concept applies to chronic “old age” pain. If you have an ache that built up gradually for no apparent reason, it’s probably a side effect of practicing a bad habit for years.

Maybe you worked at a job that required you to hunch over a desk, and now your neck, shoulders, and back are paying the price for using poor posture over the years.

Maybe you always hold your purse on the same shoulder, and that shoulder is finally starting to feel the effects.

Whatever the specific area of your pain, there is always a cause besides simple “age.” Our physical therapists are experts in finding and treating those causes. 

It’s time to figure out what’s really going on. Claim your complimentary Full Body Diagnostic by calling (239) 676-0546 now.