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Bone and joint degeneration can occur without waiting until old age.
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Back pain from "degeneration" is no longer just a symptom of old age as we commonly understand it, especially among young adults and working-age people today who have lifestyles involving sitting at work, staring at computer or mobile phone screens for long periods, hardly moving their bodies, or engaging in strenuous sports or activities.
Repetitive behaviors like these, while seemingly insignificant each day, can lead to "degeneration" over time. When symptoms begin to appear, such as chronic back and neck pain, it may be the first sign of bone and joint problems that shouldn't be ignored.
Human evolution: The beginning of increased stress on bones and joints.
Looking back at human evolution, one of the key factors contributing to the increased prevalence of spinal and joint problems is changes in body structure.
"Early humans moved like quadrupeds, which helped distribute the pressure on the spine horizontally. But as evolution led us to stand upright and walk on two legs, the pressure shifted to the vertical direction. The spine and joints then have to bear more weight directly."
The knees are another organ affected. Previously, the body used all three legs to support its weight, but with only two legs remaining, the pressure on the knees increases exponentially, leading to faster knee degeneration.
However, this problem is not solely due to evolution. Modern human behavior is another significant factor that accelerates the onset of spinal and joint degeneration.
Behaviors that unknowingly accelerate bone and joint degeneration.
Sitting and working for long periods without moving.
A behavior many people overlook is sitting for long periods without changing posture, especially sitting in front of a computer screen for many hours continuously. This weakens the muscles around the spine, increases pressure on the intervertebral discs, and may lead to premature spinal degeneration.
Furthermore, incorrect posture, such as leaning forward, slouching, or rounded shoulders, unknowingly puts extra strain on the spine. Therefore, you should get up and move around every 30-60 minutes throughout the day and adjust your posture to be more comfortable, using a chair that provides back support and adjusting the screen level to eye level.
Lifting heavy objects incorrectly.
Another behavior that often leads to spinal degeneration is improper lifting of heavy objects. Many people bend over to lift things using their back instead of their legs, putting severe pressure on the intervertebral discs. This can lead to disc herniation or nerve compression, resulting in radiating pain down the arms or legs.
Therefore, when lifting heavy objects, you should squat down, bend your knees, and use your thighs instead of your back. This effectively reduces pressure on the spine and decreases the risk of long-term injury.
Activities that cause cumulative impact.
Many seemingly harmless activities can unknowingly cause cumulative impact on the spine, such as sitting on a hard surface for long periods, walking or running on hard surfaces without shock-absorbing shoes, or even riding in a car with faulty shock absorbers. These can cause accumulated impact on the joints and accelerate osteoporosis.
Smartphone usage behavior.
Prolonged smartphone use is another factor that affects bone and joint health, especially leading to "Text Neck Syndrome," or cervical spondylosis caused by looking down at a screen for extended periods.
Every time we bend our heads down to look at our phones, our cervical spines have to support much more weight than usual. If this is done continuously for long periods, it can lead to muscle fatigue in the neck and accelerate bone degeneration.
Therefore, reducing prolonged mobile phone use and holding phones at eye level are important ways to protect your cervical spine health in the long term.
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