Today is World Spine Day 2025 - by David Lee, Advanced Rolfer and Osteopath

Our spine is at the centre of how we move, breathe, and live. As osteopaths and chiropractors, we often see patients confused by advice that may sound helpful, but isn’t always aligned with how the body truly works. Here are some common misconceptions I’d like to clear up:

🔹 “Never bend forward, always bend your knees.”
➡️ Yes, bending your knees is important when lifting something heavy. But avoiding forward bending altogether is harmful. We need to maintain the ability to bend forward naturally. It’s a “use it or lose it” function of the spine.

🔹 “If you have knee problems, stop walking and just cycle or swim.”
➡️ Human beings are designed to walk and run. Walking is not only safe—it’s essential. Ground reaction forces help the joints sense and adapt. The real problem is modern sitting: too much sitting disconnects the hips and legs from these forces. We need to restore, not avoid, walking.

🔹 “Patients with osteoporosis should only do weight training.”
➡️ Weight training loads muscles, but bones need direct loading and compression to trigger bone remodelling. Practices like standing meditation, Tai Chi, and mindful weight-bearing activities provide the vertical loading bones thrive on.

🔹 “Sit upright with your chest up at all times.”
➡️ Sitting tall with the chest lifted may look “good,” but it actually flares the ribs and encourages upper-chest breathing, leading to overuse of accessory breathing muscles. A little relaxed slouch is natural. What matters is not staying stuck in any posture for more than 30 minutes.

💡 The takeaway:
Your spine is not fragile. It’s adaptable, intelligent, and meant to move. Avoiding natural movement or forcing “perfect posture” often causes more harm than good.

Let’s celebrate World Spine Day by honouring the spine’s true design—to move, load, adapt, and connect us with gravity and the ground. 🌱