We've all been sitting a whole lot more, myself included during the circuit breaker. Here's what research is suggesting, that it is actually physical inactivity and not physical labor that is associated with degenerative (or wear and tear) changes in the thoracic and lumbar spine.
The researchers studied 385 subjects on the relationship between short and long term physical inactivity and degenerative changes of the thoracic and lumbar spine over a period of 14 years. They grouped the subjects into those who did no physical activity, or did so irregularly for 1 hour a week, regularly for 1 hour a week, or regularly for more than 2 hours a week.
In addition, physical labor, walking and cycling were investigated additionally.
Correlations between physical inactivity and thoracic and lumbar disc degeneration were analyzed after accounting for sex, age, Body Mass Index, hypertension, diabetes and back pain.
Subjects with disc degeneration in the thoracic and lumbar spine were more common in those with no physical activity, irregular activity < 1 hour compared than those with regularly activity > 1 hour or more a week.
You'll be happy to know that there was no obvious significant association statistically for subjects who did physical labor, walking or cycling with disc degeneration.
The researchers concluded that physical inactivity over the 14 years they studied demonstrated a strong correlation with disc degeneration of the thoracic and lumbar spine.
Just like we wrote previously that running more miles does not wear out your knees, being active, doing physical labor will not wear out your spine too.
Keep moving.
Reference
Maurer E, Klinger C et al (2020). Long-term Effect Of Physical Inactivity On Thoracic And Lumbar Disc Degeneration- An MRI-based Analysis of 385 Individuals From The General Population. Spine DOI: 10.1016/j.spinee.2020.04.016
My boys wanted the same picture as me, so here's my older boy.
And here's my younger boy below.
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