<< Back

How to Keep Your Back Healthy as You Age

December 27, 2025

As the years add up, your back starts to feel it.

Everyday movements — bending, sitting, even sleeping — can become more uncomfortable when your spine isn’t getting the support it needs.

But aging doesn’t mean giving up on a healthy back. With a few simple habits, you can protect your spine, stay mobile and reduce pain well into later life.

How getting older affects your spine

“Just like every other part of the body, aging takes a toll on your spine,” says Vijay Yanamadala, MD, a neurosurgeon and spine expert with the Ayer Neuroscience Institute at Hartford HealthCare.

Like it or not, by your 50s or 60s, your spine will likely start showing some signs of wear and tear — from degenerative disc disease, where the discs that cushion your vertebrae lose water content; to spinal stenosis, where the spinal canal narrows and presses on nerves; to plain old osteoarthritis.

As you might imagine, any and all of the above can cause pain, stiffness and nerve irritation.

You do have a say in when and how this ever happens, though.

> Related: 5 Best Stretches for Back Pain

To keep your spine healthy as you age, think “preventive maintenance”

You can’t totally prevent physical changes to your spine as you age. But the healthier your spine, the more you can slow down those changes — and usually, the less you’ll notice unpleasant symptoms that they tend to cause.

How? By being proactive.

“Think of spine health like dental hygiene or heart health,” suggests Dr. Yanamadala. “Even when nothing hurts, your back deserves daily attention.”

4 tips to keep your spine healthy as you age

1. Keep moving

Do you spend long periods of your day sitting? Every 30 minutes, stand up and stretch. Every hour, walk around a bit. “Sitting for long periods increases pressure on your spine,” explains Dr. Yanamadala. “Low-impact, full-body movements relieve that pressure, and keep your spine healthy.”

2. Make spine stretches part of your daily routine

“Stretches keep the muscles and tendons around your spine flexible,” says Dr. Yanamadala. “They also move synovial fluid around your spine joints, which helps prevent pain and stiffness.” Try pelvic tilts, bridges and gentle yoga moves like cat-cow stretches.

3. Add core-strengthening exercises too

“If the muscles around your belly and lower back are weak, your spine does more of the heavy lifting — and it wasn’t built for that,” says Dr. Yanamadala. To build up your spine’s natural brace, try core exercises like planks, bird dogs and dead bugs.

4. Check your posture

Whether seated or standing, aim to keep your ears aligned over your shoulders, not craned forward. “Proper posture matters more than many people realize,” says Dr. Yanamadala. “It distributes stress more evenly across your spine, which prevents injury and improves your overall spine function.”

If you notice these symptoms, call a spine expert

Often, you can keep your spine healthy as you age just by putting the above advice into action. Sometimes, however, you need an expert’s help.

Call your doctor if you notice:

• Pain that lasts longer than a few weeks
• Numbness or weakness in your legs or feet
• Pain that gets worse with walking but improves when you sit or lean forward
• Difficulty walking the distances you used to — or needing a shopping cart or cane for support
• Finding it difficult to get comfortable while sitting
• Avoiding activities you once enjoyed due to back pain

“If your back hurts every day, that’s not something you just have to ‘live with,’” says Dr. Yanamadala. “There’s often something we can do to help — and usually, the earlier we start, the easier it is to turn things around.”