Doctors across Hyderabad are treating more young professionals for chronic back, neck, and shoulder pain than ever before, and most of them are still in their twenties. Poor posture, awkward desk setups, long commutes, and excessive screen time are quietly leading to disc problems, joint stiffness, and early wear and tear.

“About a decade ago, we rarely saw patients under 30 with disc bulges or persistent back pain. Now, it’s common,” says Dr Kiran Goud, an orthopaedic and sports injury consultant. “Hybrid work has made it worse. People are working from beds, sofas, and car backseats, it’s a recipe for early spine degeneration.”

Many of his patients report stiffness, pain radiating to the legs, or even mild numbness. “Some ignore it for months thinking it’s just bad posture. But by the time they come to us, we see early degenerative changes on MRI,” he says.

A 27-year-old marketing professional who visited him last month had been working from home for over two years, switching between sofa and mattress. “She couldn’t stand for 20 minutes straight. We found a mild disc bulge and early signs of muscle imbalance,” Dr Goud says. He adds that such cases are becoming so common that even surgeries for lumbar issues are being done in people as young as 32 or 33.

The problem isn’t just poor seating. “People sit for 10–12 hours a day and barely move. Lack of core strength and flexibility makes it worse,” he says.

Ergonomic chairs and standing desks help, but aren’t magic solutions. “It’s not about furniture. It’s about movement. Even the best chair won’t help if you’re sitting in it for four hours straight,” Dr Goud says.

He recommends short walks every hour, posture correction exercises, and regular stretching. “Your spine is like a jointed tower. If one part weakens early, the entire system starts collapsing.”