I’m a 45-year-old man and have had back pain for a few years now. I have a sit down desk job and exercise when I can. My dad was a farmer all his life and never once complained of anything like back pain. Have we become a weaker generation?

Back pain is one of the most common pain complaints in the developed world. It’s estimated that almost everyone will complain of a back ache at least once in their life. And yes, it does seem to be more common now than it did a few generations ago.

But, is it because the generation is weaker or because it’s because the new generation is just different? The answer seems to be that it’s just different. As a desk worker, your back doesn’t get the work out every day that your dad’s back did. Although he likely lifted heavy objects and did a lot of bending and hard work, his back adapted to it over the years. Many adults in the developed world don’t have that and never had the opportunity to develop the stronger backs, including the muscles in the back and the abdomen.

Also, don’t forget that sitting also puts strain on the back, albeit in a different way. Sitting for hours on end at a desk is not a natural position for the human body, so this can cause stress, which in turn, causes pain.