Musculoskeletal disorders are now posing a threat to young Indians, dispelling the common notion that joint ache, neck pain or backache is something only older people suffer from. Young people in their 20s and 30s keep narrating tales of some problems like not only persistent backache but also tight necks, painful shoulders and strained wrists, which are attributed to their mode of work, study, travel and excessive use of gadgets.

Musculoskeletal issues affect 1.71 billion individuals across the world and rank as the major cause of disability. It can occur to any age, but the younger population faces more problems in this regard due to lifestyle disorders.

One of the main aspects responsible for it is the increased sedentary lifestyle brought on by modern life. Long hours of work, remote and hybrid work, prolonged study periods, and limited opportunities for exercising cause young people to spend hours sitting down. The absence of regular physical activity can gradually lead to weakening of supporting muscles and a decrease in flexibility which makes the body more prone to discomfort and injury.

Studies show that inactivity in young age is associated with a greater risk of suffering from musculoskeletal pain in young adulthood.

The issue is worsened by the impact of technology. For example looking down at the phone for long hours, writing long documents or working on the laptop can repeatedly stress the neck, shoulder, wrist and back.

In India, a study involving young adults (aged 18–26) shows that there is a link between excessive cellphone use and pain in the back, wrists and shoulders.

Another important factor that many people do not consider is poor posture. Bad posture does not seem like much of a problem at first – working on your laptop from your bed or couch, maintaining a bad position while working at your table, and looking at your phone with your head down. However, people are often unaware of the long-term impact of these habits on their body.

Stress and lack of sleep may worsen the situation. Young professionals usually have a focused working schedule that limits the possibility of doing sports, recovering and sleeping well. The constant misunderstanding of pain as just fatigue makes people keep following their habits until the time is when their discomfort starts affecting their work, sports, sleep and daily activities.

Consequently, prevention must be integrated into everyday life, rather than just being an afterthought when discomfort has already developed. Simple measures which should be taken include taking frequent breaks, using neutral seating posture, adjusting desk height and avoiding excessive screen time, and including stretching in one’s exercise routine.

According to the World Health Organization, decreased physical activity during sedentary time must be replaced with physical activity of any intensity.

In fact, one shouldn’t assume that coming of age equates to immortality when it comes to musculoskeletal issues. The growing tidal wave of tech and sedentary lifestyle habits means that efforts to preserve musculoskeletal function have to begin from an early stage.

In fact, preventing further injuries should be treated as an important step, whereas making small modifications in one’s lifestyle should help in future.