Backaches strike with vengeance

These 20-somethings are suffering from an age-old problem - backaches. They should ignore the signs at their own peril, say experts Phalguni Desai, 27, was on her way home from work at the Maritime foundation at CST, on her usual train, when it happened. A man stole her phone from outside the moving Ladies' compartment, nearly dragging her out with it. As she hung on to the pole for dear life with her left hand, her first thought wasn't "I'm going to have back trouble, aren't I?" Unfortunately, it should have been. About six months after thinking that her neck and back ache were simply muscular, she went to a specialist and found out she had spondylitis. Omkar Kanegaonkar, 25, was working out at home, doing a lower back rowing exercise. He'd done the routine in the gym before, under supervision, so he knew it well. When his lower back started hurting, he ignored it and dismissed it as a muscle pull. Turns out it was a "herniation of disc" - in layperson terms, a slip disc. Akshata Joshi, 25 and an athlete, was only 19 when she was diagnosed with 3 desiccated discs. One day, she was in class when her legs started feeling weak. Scared, she left for home and crawled into bed, only to realize she couldn't move. A few painkillers later, she was carted off for an MRI. All three of them are too young to have back problems. Dr Prakkash Sharoff, an orthopaedic sports and manual therapy specialist from PhysioHealth Clinic, Khar, says that almost 70 per cent of his clients are in their 20s with back ailments that should've struck them 15 years later, if at all. "Bad posture, heavy backpacks and sitting too much are the causes," he says. Referring to the people hitting the gym for intensive workouts after work, he says, "People getting active suddenly after sitting around a lot." Dr Firdaus Shaikh, a physiotherapist says that of the 15 patients she sees every day, five fall in the 25-30 age group. And quite a few of them have injuries caused by overzealous weight lifting. "They need an instructor to watch over what they're doing." A common species among the young with back grievances are desk job employees - those who spend their days in sedentary glued to their computer screens. Dr Shaikh says, "The HR department of a company with many sedentary employees should consult physiotherapists before constructing work stations. Why should employees suffer for their company's poor decisions?" Chairs with height that can be adjusted so your feet touch the ground flat, keyboards at elbow level, and monitors at eye-level and in the front, these are the ways to avoid a disaster for the young. At home, he cautions against couches you can sink into - the pressure on your back when you get up is too much. In a car, keep the backrest upright and adjust the seat so that your hips are at kneelevel or a bit higher. All three of the people we spoke with ignored their initial symptoms. Dr Murtuza Rangwala, physiotherapist at Cuffe Parade, says that was a big mistake. "The first thing you should do is go to a doctor or physio and find out the cause," Rangwala says. Patients have to undergo extensive procedures - in the case of Joshi, they involve an hour of yoga and pilates daily. "I still can't sit or stand for long. On long shoots, my back gets stiff," the photographer, says. "I had to give up basketball and outdoorsy things." Kanegaonkar is a state-level cyclist, says he's back to 90%, but 100% is still something he'll have to work for. His injury occurred in 2010. Spinal trouble won't bring your life to a complete halt, but it has the might to slow it down substantially. So if you're a 20-something year old with a desk job and an affinity for workouts, follow the simple steps outlined in the sidebar, because believe it or not, they have your back. Prevent backaches - The greatest harm is caused by slouching and sitting still at work. Take a small towel roll and place it on your lower back - it will help maintain the natural curve of your back. - Keep moving, because when you move all the joints in the body get lubricated and get nutrition. Take a walk every half hour to drink water, to grab a bite, or just to get some air. Twist from left to right or stretch backwards. - Don't carry heavy laptop sling bags, use backpacks so that the weight is evenly distributed on both shoulders. If possible, don't carry laptops at all. - Obesity is your enemy - extra kilos add a load onto your back. - Consult a physio before finalizing your exercise routine to check if your back can take the stress.