HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Back pain will affect nearly half of older adults, but a Hawaii spine surgeon says the damage starts much earlier than most people realize.

Nearly half of people aged 65 or older have experienced back pain, according to a national health survey.

We sat down with Dr. Collin Walsh, an orthopedic spine surgeon for Hawaii Pacific Health.

He says that time is typically the root cause.

“I think a lot of people don’t realize, but spine arthritis starts in your 20s, so you know, 30, 40, 50 years old may not may not seem that far down the spectrum, but that’s kind of decades of wear and tear,” said Walsh.

Walsh said the three most common conditions he sees include a pinched nerve, spine arthritis, and spine misalignment.

He said the best way to protect your spine is

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