70% patients with spine issue in 30-50 years age group: Experts

SLUG: WORLD SPINE DAY
Ahmedabad: For the spine surgeons at Government Spine Institute and Physiotherapy College at Civil Hospital campus, it is no longer a surprise to see patients in their 20s and 30s in the OPD of 300-odd patients daily.
Dr Piyush Mittal, director of the institute, said that more than half the patients come seeking a remedy for back pain—primarily lower back pain—and the roots of the ailment are often in their lifestyle."Some develop it while driving, some with heavy loads such as backpacks, whereas some get it with several hours on their seats at the workplace. I would say that about 70% of the patients in OPDs today are in the age group of 30 to 50 years, whereas about 25% are senior citizens, and the rest are of a younger age group," he said.
As World Spine Day is observed on Oct 15, this year's theme is ‘Support Your Spine'.
City-based experts stressed evidence-based treatment and intervention. They said that it is often observed that the youth take to exercise regimes based on social media videos and injure their backs. The number of young women developing backache as a result of psychosomatic factors has also increased in recent years, they added.
Dr Pravin Saxena, spine surgeon at Apollo Hospitals, said that compared to a decade ago, lifestyle-related spine issues have increased. "About 90% of the issues we see in younger age groups are about bad posture, bad ergonomics, and stress to name a few. The age for disc degeneration has come down over the years," he said. "One must exercise regularly, take regular breaks, have a healthy diet, and maintain good posture to ensure spinal health."
Improved longevity and falls or other injuries are other factors for the rise in spinal surgeries among senior citizens, said experts.