Senior citizens are learning, as we age, problems with back pain seem to become a fixture in our lives, yet exercises are often a forgotten path. 
Curiously, elderly patients run straight for a doctor, which typically results in a prescription. A better approach towards pain-free damage control is proactive stretching.
More than 50 percent of all Americans will suffer from some type of back pain during their lifetime. Some problems may be congenital, but classic back pain causes are simply due to muscular tightness, poor posture, inactivity, and being overweight.
For the elderly, the best approach to back problems is to implement methods of stretching, standing, sitting, and sleeping. Individuals who have reoccurring lower back problems should avoid any stretching that arch the back, called hyper-extensions. This creates too much stress on the lower lumbar.
Here are a few back pain exercises for daily care:
People tend to lift items when their legs are straight, causing tension in the back. The knees should always bend slightly when picking up packages so that the bulk of the work is done by the heaviest muscles in your legs. Not the small muscles in your lower back. When lifting, keep the weight close to your body, and the back as straight as possible.
Back pain is also a result of poor posture when standing and sitting. We tend to ignore our posture and usually will sit or stand with rounded shoulders, as our head droops forward. To correct alignment, pull your chin in, with the back of your head pulled straight. Keep your shoulders pulled back and down while you tighten your abdominal muscles. It sounds challenging, but getting into the habit will help flatten your lower back as you sit.
We also tend to stand with the knees locked. This tilts the hips forward and places the pressure of standing directly on the lower back. Use the large muscles, the quadriceps, to control posture when standing, and support the body in a position of strength. Your body will be always be aligned through the hips and lower back when the knees are slightly bent.
Every day individuals awake stiff, sore and grumbling about back pain. Bad sleeping habits account for a large portion of back pain causes. A good, firm surface can help with back care. A quick resolve is to sleep on your back, placing a pillow under your knees to keep the back flat, and minimize any tension.
Your Weight and Back Pain Causes
Tension in the back can be caused by excessive weight around the middle. The extra weight individuals carry can gradually cause the pelvic to tilt forward. Strong abdominal muscles can help support the pelvis and a stronger back. Many individuals simply ignore weight issues until it becomes one of their obvious causes of back pain. The good news is that back pain exercises can quickly address and resolve your problem. Here are a few simple routines to improve the condition;
1. Develop the abdominal muscles by regularly doing abdominal workouts. Of course, exercise within your limits. It will take time and regularity, but as you become more aware of weight issues and the uncomplicated treatments for these back pain causes, you’ll develop a daily routine.
2. Slowly allow the size of the stomach to shrink by not overeating. An overweight person needs more food to fill an over-stretched stomach and the outcome is an unbalanced body.
3. Build up the muscles in your chest and upper arms by performing daily knee push-ups. These push-ups help to isolate the muscles in the upper body without straining the lower back.
You’ll soon learn that movement will become much more enjoyable when your back is properly aligned. Proper nutrition and regular physical activity will add more function to your daily life, far beyond your current potential. When senior citizens introduce a few simple lifestyle changes, that include daily exercises that are targeted toward minimizing back pain, the problems will become a predicament of the past.