You may have heard, or possibly experienced that back pain, and decreased range of motion seem to go hand-in-hand with age. Especially if you are 40 or older, which is common when you start to feel pain from arthritis, which is the degeneration of cartilage between the joints. Arthritic back pain is generally the result of cartilage degeneration between the disks in the spine, the facet joints (vertebral joints in the spine), or from a previous injury. Arthritis can affect any joint in the body, and for most people over 40, the pain is common in the neck, shoulders, buttocks, thighs, and lower back. Facet joints in the spine facilitate movements like bending and twisting, and as the cartilage between these joints begins to degenerate, movement becomes restricted and painful. Arthritis of the spine can cause severe, excruciating, and debilitating pain, cause muscles to break down and dramatically restrict movement. Debilitating arthritis can also bring on emotional problems, like anxiety or depression. If your back pain persists for several weeks, or months, it is advisable that you speak with your doctor to discover if the pain you’re experiencing may be symptoms of a medical condition like arthritis, a slipped or herniated disk or sciatica. These conditions can occur at the same time, making it challenging to make the correct diagnosis and treatment.