World Spine Day: Posture To Phones, How Modern Lifestyle Is Breaking Our Backs

World Spine Day is an annual event on October 16th that raises awareness for spinal health, focusing on preventing back pain and disability through education and promoting healthy habits like good posture, regular physical activity, and ergonomic environments. In recent years, spine-related issues, particularly back pain have been more common than even. Twenty years ago, back pain was mostly seen in older people or those doing heavy physical work. Today, young professionals in their 20s and 30s are reporting chronic neck and back pain. What changed? Our lifestyle. On World Spine Day 2025, let's discuss these lifestyle habits that are detrimental to your spine.

The sitting epidemic

Most of us now spend 8-10 hours sitting at desks, hunched over laptops. When you sit with poor posture, your spine loses its natural curve. Your head weighs about 5-6 kg, but when you lean forward, the pressure on your neck can increase to 20-25 kg. Imagine carrying a sack of rice on your neck all day. That's what bad posture does.

The problem gets worse when we sit on sofas or beds with laptops on our laps. Your neck bends down, shoulders roll forward, and your lower back has no support. Over time, this leads to muscle strain, disc problems, and persistent pain.

Phone neck/text neck is real

We check our phones 50-100 times a day, each time bending our necks down. This "text neck" posture puts enormous stress on the cervical spine. Young people are now developing problems that we used to see only in much older patients.

Sleep matters too

Your sleeping position affects your spine health. Sleeping on your stomach twists your neck for hours. Very soft mattresses don't support your spine properly. The best position is on your back or side, with a pillow that keeps your neck aligned with your spine.

What can you do?

Simple changes make a big difference. Keep your laptop screen at eye level. Sit with your back supported and feet flat on the floor. Take breaks every 30-40 minutes to stand and stretch. Hold your phone at eye level instead of looking down. Do basic neck and back stretches daily, gentle movements help keep muscles flexible.

When to see a doctor

Don't ignore persistent pain. See a spine specialist if pain lasts more than 2-3 weeks, you have numbness or tingling in arms or legs, pain shoots down from neck to arms or from back to legs, or you have difficulty walking or loss of balance.

Your spine carries you through life. Small daily habits, good or bad, add up over the years. Prevention is always easier than treatment. Pay attention to your posture today, your back will thank you tomorrow.

(Dr. S. Vidyadhara, Chairman and Head of Department - Spine Surgery and Consultant Robotic Spine Surgery, Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road)

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