Is your daily commute hurting your spine? Orthopaedic spine surgeon shares 7 habits to avoid

Commuting is a major part of the day. You may spend the journey carrying a heavy work bag, standing for long periods, sitting through traffic, or figuring out crowded public transport. ALSO READ: Cracking your neck when it feels stiff? Neurologist shares 9 signs when it can become serious

Dr Arjun Dhawale , additional director, orthopaedic spine surgery at Sir H N Reliance Foundation Hospital, Mumbai, shared with HT Lifestyle how everyday commuting habits may strain the spine and the practical precautions that can help reduce neck and back pain .

The commute is not really the only problem. The spine surgeon shared what matters: “Certain travel habits and prolonged postures can put unnecessary strain on the spine, contributing to back and neck pain. Maintaining the right posture and being mindful of how you travel can help reduce this strain."

This means that the way you sit, stand, carry your belongings, and use your phone during the commute may gradually affect your spine health . The strain can contribute to persistent pain and discomfort in the neck and lower back.

Several seemingly harmless commuting habits may cause physical strain when repeated daily. From carrying an overloaded bag to looking down at your phone throughout the journey. Dr Dhawale highlighted the habits that may affect your spine and should be avoided where possible:

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.

Adrija Dey’s proclivity for observation fuels her storytelling instinct. As a lifestyle journalist, she crafts compelling, relatable narratives across diverse touchpoints of the human experience, including wellness, mental health, relationships, interior design, home decor, food, travel, and fashion that gently nudge readers toward living a little better. For her, stories exist in flesh and bones, carried by human vessels and shaped through everyday endeavours. It is the small stories we live and share that make us human. After all, humans and their lores are the most natural and raw repositories of stories, and uncovering them, for her, is akin to peeling an orange under a winter afternoon sun. Always up for a chat, she believes the best stories come from unfiltered yapping, where "too much information" is kind of the point. A graduate of Indraprastha College for Women, University of Delhi, and an alumna of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Delhi, Adrija spends her idle hours cocooned with herbal tea and a gripping thriller, scribbling inner monologues she loosely calls poetic pieces, often with her succulents in attendance. On lazier days, she can be found binge-watching, for the nth time, one from her comfort-show holy trinity: The Office (US), Brooklyn Nine-Nine, or Modern Family. Dancing by herself to her peppy playlists, however, is an everyday ritual she swears by religiously. Read More