Hyderabad, Oct 16 : People spending longer hours sitting at their desk have amplified spinal problems manifold in the ongoing pandemic, said Dr Naresh Purohit- Executive Member of the Indian Academy of Neurosciences(IAN).
Addressing a webinar organised by the NTR Medical University of Health Sciences (NTRMUHS), Vijayawada on the occasion of World Spine Day on Saturday, Senior Epidemiologist Dr Purohit averred that spine health is especially important now, as the pandemic- induced work-from- home arrangement has led to many people being at their desk for longer hours than they used to in their office.
The new development means people are putting their back through a lot more stress, often without adequate breaks, which could subsequently hamper the spine, he stated that sitting is worse than smoking.
Principal Investigator for the Association of Studies for Spine Care, Dr Purohit said sitting for extended periods is linked to chronic disease and wreaks havoc on the spine.
As many as one billion people worldwide suffer from spinal pain, he said it is also one of the biggest single cause of disability and thus affects our quality of life immensely.
Dr Purohit explained that the spinal cord is a tube-like structure with nerves extending via the base of the brain and down the back. It carries messages from your brain to the entire body and is situated within the vertebrae (the backbone). 
Spine disorders can cause damage to spinal cord, he said there are various degenerative spine conditions like arthritis, degenerative disc disease, herniated disc, spondylosis, ankylosing spondylitis, back pain, neck pain, scoliosis, spinal cord cancer, spinal cord injury, osteoporosis, vertebral fractures, hematoma, and kyphosis.
Quoting a 2016 study from the New England Journal of Medicine surveys, Dr Purohit said as many as 70 percent of people spend six or more hours each day sitting down.
A 2015 report in Annals of Internal Medicine found an association between prolonged sitting and a greater risk of dying from all causes—even for those who exercised regularly, the Senior Epidemiologist said a sedentary lifestyle was also shown to boost risk for cardiovascular disease, certain cancers (breast, colon, colorectal, endometrial, and epithelial ovarian), and type 2 diabetes in adults.
Experts in the webinar also averred that spending much of the day in a seated position can leave one spine sore, stiff, and in pain. This position results in tightness of your hip flexors such as the iliopsoas muscle and pressure and some ischemia (restricted blood flow) of your buttock muscles—the gluteus maximus. This muscle is an important supporter of the spine.
Experts stated that remote working has led to many spine-related issues in young adults. Poor sitting ergonomics, such as leaning, slouching, or using a workstation that is too high or too low, can lead to muscle and joint pains.
The incidence of spine-related issues, especially in the IT professionals, reception and desk workers have surprisingly increased and needs sharp observation to diagnose, the experts added.(UNI)