Back Pain in Older Women Could Be a Fatal Red Flag

A study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine suggests chronic or frequent back pain may signal a higher risk for mortality in women 65 years and older, reports Consumer Affairs . "Our findings raise the question of whether better management of back pain across the lifespan could prevent disability, improve quality of life, and ultimately extend life," says Boston Medical Center's Eric Rosen. The researchers tracked more than 8,000 women older than 65 for 14 years, measuring daily back pain and their ability, or inability, to complete regular day-to-day tasks. Many subjects had difficulty making meals, walking short distances, or getting up and down from chairs, while others had problems walking above a certain speed, because of persistent back pain. All of these issues were found to eventually lead to increased mortality risks. Generally, almost 66 percent of older women with persistent or frequent back pain died during follow-up, versus 53 percent of women without back pain. The researchers calculated that back pain increases the risk for death among older women by 24 percent. The team remains uncertain as to the reason for this connection, although Rosen says while the pain "may directly impair daily activities ... older adults could inappropriately avoid them due to fear of re-injury or worsening of symptoms."