Invest in Your Spine

In conjunction with World Spine Day, celebrated annually on October 16, the theme for 2025, “Invest in Your Spine,” calls on society to take proactive steps in safeguarding the spine as one of the most valuable health assets. Spinal health is not merely about individual comfort but has far-reaching impacts on productivity, the economy, and the overall well-being of society.

KEY FACTS
Evidence shows that back pain has become an alarming global public health issue. In 2020 alone, low back pain affected approximately 619 million people worldwide, and this number is projected to rise to 843 million by 2050. Back pain is now recognized as the single leading cause of global disability. Even more concerning is the fact that nearly 90% of back pain cases are categorized as non-specific, meaning they cannot be attributed to a clear organic cause such as tumors or infections. Back pain can affect anyone, regardless of age or background, and in low- and middle-income countries, many communities face limited access to spine health professionals and specialized rehabilitation services. These facts highlight that back pain is not a personal issue alone but a pressing global public health challenge.

WHAT CAN BE DONE
To ensure that the theme of World Spine Day is translated into meaningful action, several approaches must be prioritized. Early education in schools and communities represents a fundamental step, such as integrating modules on posture and light exercises into physical and health education curricula. Public awareness campaigns through social media, community talks, and spine screening programs are equally important in improving public understanding of spinal health.

Workplaces should also be designed to be more spine-friendly. Employers are encouraged to provide adjustable chairs and desks, proper lumbar support, and regular stretching breaks. Simple spinal exercises performed in offices can help reduce muscle strain caused by prolonged sitting.

Equally crucial is improving access to treatment and rehabilitation. The Ministry of Health, together with state governments, should allocate dedicated funding to establish more spine rehabilitation centers, especially in rural areas. At the same time, the number of orthopaedic specialists, physiotherapists, and pain management professionals must be increased to ensure that evidence-based care is accessible to all layers of society.

Ongoing monitoring through the establishment of a national spinal health database is also necessary. Such a database would track the prevalence of back pain, treatment outcomes, and healthcare costs, providing essential data for the government to design more precise and effective long-term health policies.

A healthy lifestyle remains the best long-term investment in spinal health. Regular physical activity such as walking, stretching, and light exercises should be consistently practiced. Maintaining an ideal body weight helps reduce spinal load, while adopting proper posture when sitting or lifting objects can prevent injuries. Using a medium-firm mattress that supports the natural spinal curvature and avoiding smoking—which impairs blood supply to spinal tissues—are also essential steps for maintaining spinal health.

Ultimately, spinal care is a shared responsibility. Both individuals and institutions must act now, rather than wait until the problem becomes more severe. Investing in spinal health today will yield substantial returns in the form of better quality of life, mobility, and reduced healthcare costs in the future. Malaysians must view back pain as a collective issue, not merely a burden on patients, and work together in prevention, widening access to treatment, and prioritizing health education.

Investing in your spine today means protecting a healthier, better-quality life tomorrow.

Dr. Mohd Afiq Bin Muhamed Fuad
Clinical Lecturer & Orthopaedic Surgeon
Department of Orthopaedic
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
Universiti Putra Malaysia
mohdafiq@upm.edu.my

Date of Input: 16/10/2025 | Updated: 16/10/2025 | nadia_rahman