Even in their 80s and 90s, joint treatment brings back a 'lively life' … take up strength training in the new year
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Gangnam St. Peter's Hospital 26-01-05 00:00Main content
Even in their 80s and 90s, joint treatment brings back a 'lively life' … take up strength training in the new year
Reporter Shim, Hee Jin
Reporter Shim, Hee Jin
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2026.01.05. 4:16 PM
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Yoon, Kangjun, President of St. Peter's Hospital
Function restored and pain eased even in older patients
Minimally invasive surgery also speeds recovery
150 minutes a week of light-sweat exercise, or
75 minutes of vigorous exercise plus strength training twice a week
Balance-building physical activity three times a week
In 2024, St. Peter's Hospital launched a dedicated geriatric care team for surgery in patients aged 80 and over, building a collaborative care system from diagnosis through to recovery. A patient receiving exercise rehabilitation at St. Peter's Hospital. St. Peter's Hospital
In 2024, St. Peter's Hospital launched a dedicated geriatric care team for surgery in patients aged 80 and over, building a collaborative care system from diagnosis through to recovery. A patient receiving exercise rehabilitation at St. Peter's Hospital. St. Peter's Hospital
As of 2026, Korea is a super-aged country in which one in five people is aged 65 or over. The population aged 65 and over passed 10 million at the end of 2024, and some forecasts see it reaching 20 million by 2050. This is an era in which the question is not simply how long we live, but how healthily we live. There is talk of a 100-year or even a 120-year lifespan, but the thinking is that there is little point in living another 50 years in poor health from one's 70s and 80s onward.
According to the 2024 Social Security Statistics published by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, average annual medical costs per older person stood at 5.43 million won as of 2023. Compared with 4.91 million won in 2019, that is an increase of more than 500,000 won in four years. With life expectancy steadily rising to 80.6 years for men and 86.4 years for women, the medical cost burden on older people is bound to keep growing.
It is worth knowing in particular about the spinal and joint conditions that account for most pain in later life. Yoon, Kangjun, President of St. Peter's Hospital, said, "The key factor determining health in later life is 'musculoskeletal function'. Ninety percent of the pain experienced by people aged 60 and over in Korea is related to the musculoskeletal system," adding, "In the end, healthy life expectancy depends on how well the spine, joints and other structures are kept functioning."
Yoon, Kangjun, President of St. Peter's Hospital
Yoon, Kangjun, President of St. Peter's Hospital
At the heart of musculoskeletal disease in later life is the functional decline that comes with ageing and the chronic pain that results. Degenerative arthritis is one of the most common conditions among older people, affecting an annual average of 4 million people in Korea alone. Spinal stenosis, in which degeneration of the spinal structures narrows the spinal canal or the neural foramen, and disc herniation, in which the nucleus pulposus protrudes, are also common in older age groups. According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, some 1,546,000 patients aged 60 and over visited hospitals for spinal stenosis in 2024 — an increase of about 530,000 from 2015. The number of patients with intervertebral disc disorders is also rising by an average of 3% a year.
Musculoskeletal disease threatens both healthy life expectancy and lifespan in later life. President Yoon said, "It not only makes moving around difficult but becomes a direct risk factor for falls and fractures," adding, "In people aged 75 and over in particular, a fall is very likely to lead to disability or death."
The chronic pain that accompanies these conditions is a direct cause of reduced quality of life in later years. Patients with degenerative arthritis of the knee feel pain even in everyday movements such as going up and down stairs or standing up after sitting, and in the late stages walking itself often becomes difficult. Patients with spinal stenosis and disc herniation likewise find the distance they can walk shrinking steadily because of radiating leg pain and back pain. Such restriction of activity leads to loss of muscle strength, which in turn leads to reduced ability to carry out daily activities and to cognitive decline — creating a vicious cycle.
The most important thing in managing musculoskeletal disease is prevention. The key is to maintain, through regular exercise, the muscle strength that supports the joints and spine. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that older adults perform at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise per week, together with strength training at least twice a week. Multi-component physical activity to improve balance and prevent falls is also recommended at least three times a week. Quadriceps setting exercises and supine lower-body exercises help maintain strength around the knee joint, while light lower-back strengthening exercises and stretching are likewise effective in preventing spinal disease.
If something feels wrong in the knee or lower back, it is important to see a specialist and obtain an early diagnosis. President Yoon said, "Because musculoskeletal disease in later life is degenerative, early diagnosis and treatment help greatly in slowing its progression," adding, "Non-surgical treatment alone - drug therapy, injection therapy and rehabilitative physiotherapy - can be expected to deliver sufficient results."
Even when surgery is required, the barriers to treatment have fallen sharply. As minimally invasive surgery using an endoscope has become widespread, incisions and bleeding can be kept to a minimum and recovery speeded up. Notably, a growing number of very elderly patients are now actively pursuing treatment with the aim of relieving pain and restoring function. “Visits by patients aged 80 and over are steadily increasing,” President Yoon said. “The need for age-tailored treatment systems to respond to this is growing as well.”
In 2024 St. Peter's Hospital launched the Elderly-Specialized Care Task Force for surgery in patients aged 80 and over, building a collaborative care system running from diagnosis through to recovery. As of April this year, one year after its launch, patients aged 85 and over had increased by 21%, with double-digit growth in both spine and joint disease patients. Patients in their 90s and even at 100 years of age are readily choosing treatment. “Spine and joint disease is no longer a fate of ageing that simply has to be endured,” President Yoon stressed. “With appropriate management and early treatment, we can shorten the time spent living with disease and fully achieve a healthy old age.”
[Reporter Shim, Hee Jin]
Reporter Shim, Hee Jin (edge@mk.co.kr)
Reporter Shim, Hee Jin
Reporter Shim, Hee Jin
Posted
2026.01.05. 4:16 PM
Original article
1 reaction
Comment reactions
Summary
Use text-to-speech
Change font size
Share on social media
Yoon, Kangjun, President of St. Peter's Hospital
Function restored and pain eased even in older patients
Minimally invasive surgery also speeds recovery
150 minutes a week of light-sweat exercise, or
75 minutes of vigorous exercise plus strength training twice a week
Balance-building physical activity three times a week
In 2024, St. Peter's Hospital launched a dedicated geriatric care team for surgery in patients aged 80 and over, building a collaborative care system from diagnosis through to recovery. A patient receiving exercise rehabilitation at St. Peter's Hospital. St. Peter's Hospital
In 2024, St. Peter's Hospital launched a dedicated geriatric care team for surgery in patients aged 80 and over, building a collaborative care system from diagnosis through to recovery. A patient receiving exercise rehabilitation at St. Peter's Hospital. St. Peter's Hospital
As of 2026, Korea is a super-aged country in which one in five people is aged 65 or over. The population aged 65 and over passed 10 million at the end of 2024, and some forecasts see it reaching 20 million by 2050. This is an era in which the question is not simply how long we live, but how healthily we live. There is talk of a 100-year or even a 120-year lifespan, but the thinking is that there is little point in living another 50 years in poor health from one's 70s and 80s onward.
According to the 2024 Social Security Statistics published by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, average annual medical costs per older person stood at 5.43 million won as of 2023. Compared with 4.91 million won in 2019, that is an increase of more than 500,000 won in four years. With life expectancy steadily rising to 80.6 years for men and 86.4 years for women, the medical cost burden on older people is bound to keep growing.
It is worth knowing in particular about the spinal and joint conditions that account for most pain in later life. Yoon, Kangjun, President of St. Peter's Hospital, said, "The key factor determining health in later life is 'musculoskeletal function'. Ninety percent of the pain experienced by people aged 60 and over in Korea is related to the musculoskeletal system," adding, "In the end, healthy life expectancy depends on how well the spine, joints and other structures are kept functioning."
Yoon, Kangjun, President of St. Peter's Hospital
Yoon, Kangjun, President of St. Peter's Hospital
At the heart of musculoskeletal disease in later life is the functional decline that comes with ageing and the chronic pain that results. Degenerative arthritis is one of the most common conditions among older people, affecting an annual average of 4 million people in Korea alone. Spinal stenosis, in which degeneration of the spinal structures narrows the spinal canal or the neural foramen, and disc herniation, in which the nucleus pulposus protrudes, are also common in older age groups. According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, some 1,546,000 patients aged 60 and over visited hospitals for spinal stenosis in 2024 — an increase of about 530,000 from 2015. The number of patients with intervertebral disc disorders is also rising by an average of 3% a year.
Musculoskeletal disease threatens both healthy life expectancy and lifespan in later life. President Yoon said, "It not only makes moving around difficult but becomes a direct risk factor for falls and fractures," adding, "In people aged 75 and over in particular, a fall is very likely to lead to disability or death."
The chronic pain that accompanies these conditions is a direct cause of reduced quality of life in later years. Patients with degenerative arthritis of the knee feel pain even in everyday movements such as going up and down stairs or standing up after sitting, and in the late stages walking itself often becomes difficult. Patients with spinal stenosis and disc herniation likewise find the distance they can walk shrinking steadily because of radiating leg pain and back pain. Such restriction of activity leads to loss of muscle strength, which in turn leads to reduced ability to carry out daily activities and to cognitive decline — creating a vicious cycle.
The most important thing in managing musculoskeletal disease is prevention. The key is to maintain, through regular exercise, the muscle strength that supports the joints and spine. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that older adults perform at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise per week, together with strength training at least twice a week. Multi-component physical activity to improve balance and prevent falls is also recommended at least three times a week. Quadriceps setting exercises and supine lower-body exercises help maintain strength around the knee joint, while light lower-back strengthening exercises and stretching are likewise effective in preventing spinal disease.
If something feels wrong in the knee or lower back, it is important to see a specialist and obtain an early diagnosis. President Yoon said, "Because musculoskeletal disease in later life is degenerative, early diagnosis and treatment help greatly in slowing its progression," adding, "Non-surgical treatment alone - drug therapy, injection therapy and rehabilitative physiotherapy - can be expected to deliver sufficient results."
Even when surgery is required, the barriers to treatment have fallen sharply. As minimally invasive surgery using an endoscope has become widespread, incisions and bleeding can be kept to a minimum and recovery speeded up. Notably, a growing number of very elderly patients are now actively pursuing treatment with the aim of relieving pain and restoring function. “Visits by patients aged 80 and over are steadily increasing,” President Yoon said. “The need for age-tailored treatment systems to respond to this is growing as well.”
In 2024 St. Peter's Hospital launched the Elderly-Specialized Care Task Force for surgery in patients aged 80 and over, building a collaborative care system running from diagnosis through to recovery. As of April this year, one year after its launch, patients aged 85 and over had increased by 21%, with double-digit growth in both spine and joint disease patients. Patients in their 90s and even at 100 years of age are readily choosing treatment. “Spine and joint disease is no longer a fate of ageing that simply has to be endured,” President Yoon stressed. “With appropriate management and early treatment, we can shorten the time spent living with disease and fully achieve a healthy old age.”
[Reporter Shim, Hee Jin]
Reporter Shim, Hee Jin (edge@mk.co.kr)