Research shows that back pain is more common among elderly people with financial problems

Older people with money problems are more likely to suffer from long-term, debilitating back pain, a study has found.

Researchers found that those who report worrying about finances are twice as likely to experience long-term pain compared to people with higher incomes.

The study, published in the journal BMC, assessed more than 5,000 over-65s in England.

When the study began, all suffered from back pain, but two years later it was found that those who had the greatest financial burden were more likely to still report severe pain.

Experts suggest that people with less money are less likely to seek medical treatment or engage in regular exercise – an effective means of combating back pain.

Overall, they found that almost four out of five participants were still experiencing pain at the end of the study, regardless of their financial position.

Of these, a third said the pain was ‘moderately bothersome’. More than one in ten said they had back pain, which made it difficult for them to carry out daily tasks.

The researchers from the University of Oxford and the University of Exeter also found that those who had negative attitudes towards exercise later in life were more likely to have persistent back pain.

It is estimated that nine million people in Britain live with back pain, and 30 percent of older adults experience some form of chronic pain.

“People put up with back pain because they think it’s just a symptom of aging, but that shouldn’t be the case,” says

Dr. Esther Williamson, a back pain expert at the University of Oxford, who was part of the research team.

‘We know that people from a lower socio-economic background have a greater burden of back pain and are less likely to have access to treatment. They are also less likely to have access to exercise classes that help manage the pain.

‘The key for the future is making treatments accessible to people.’