Question: How fragile is the spine?

Kieran answered on 11 Nov 2018:

Great question! And the answer is, it depends!.

The spine is a set of bones called vertebrae that are held together by discs and ligaments. The spine supports the body.

In older people, the spine goes through wear and tear and can become damaged. There are discs between each vertebra and these discs allow the spine to bend. These discs can shrink and become damaged and this cause back pain. A person with damaged discs might need back surgery but usually they settle down after a while.

The spine can also be damaged in car accidents or other injuries like in sports. It takes a lot of force to damage a healthy spine.

In some younger people, the spine might start to curve the wrong way as the person grows. This is called scoliosis. The spine is still strong in these people but the discs are the wrong shape and this cause back pain. These people may need surgery to straighten their spines!

Overall, the spine is a strong organ but there are lots of different diseases that can effect it in different ways. Make sure you take care of your spine by sitting up straight, exercising and lifting anything with a straight back