Over the course of human evolution, our bodies have adapted well to walking upright, including the changing of muscle development and bone growth. Our spines however have not completely caught up to the rest of our bodies. And, besides the physical evolutionary drawbacks, the evolution of our lifestyles has also been a factor on the health of our spines. "We have evolved from being primitive creatures to sophisticated creatures with a complex society. There is a division of labor and there are individuals who primarily use their backs," said Dr. Sam Bakshian, spinal surgeon with an office set to open in Tarzana. "In using their backs rather than using their thinking about the proper biomechanics to avoid injury, many people are putting increased loads on their spines."

The spine was originally designed to work more as a flexible suspension bridge than as a support column, as it does now. There is a balance between flexibility and stability of the spine. When we have a more flexible spine, we are potentially losing stability. As it becomes more stable, some flexibility can be lost because there is a complex interplay between joints and discs. The more freedom we have to bend, rotate and move to the side, the more potential there is for areas of weakness that can be injured. Problems with our spines may be linked closely to our evolution and heritage, as well as our lifestyle choices.

The spine is now under extraordinary pressure, leading to the likelihood of chronic back pain and injuries. But, with the help of doctors and ourselves, we can keep our spines and backs healthy and happy, even with the evolutionary drawbacks of walking upright. "Not being physically active can also damage our spines," said Dr. Bakshian.

"We need to keep our back and spine strong," said Dr. Bakshian. "We do a lot of the damage to the spine ourselves; thus we need to be more cognizant of using proper biomechanics in our daily lives." Proper biomechanics include not bending at the waist to pick something up, and instead bending at the knees. Instead of bending at the waist, people should squat and bend at the knees, keeping the back in a neutral and stable position. The repeated bending of the back puts it in a compromised position, creating undue damage and harm.

Some of the things we can do to help keep our backs and spines strong and healthy include daily exercise, many people only work out on the weekends, and that can also damage the spine, because remaining sedentary during the week can weaken the spine, working out everyday is the key. Also keeping our weight at a stable and healthy level, and being aware of our possible genetic predispositions to spinal health issues are important to staying in good physical health.

One of the best activities for keeping backs healthy and strong is swimming. The hydro static forces of swimming hold a person together, acting like an external girdle, helping keep the back from becoming injured. The warmth of the water also helps keep the muscles in the back from going into spasms. Swimming also helps negate the effects of gravity, by keeping the body buoyant and it creates a natural resistance and helps keep the back and spine strong.

While disc disease is still a problem for many people, by keeping ourselves healthy we can prevent damage to the disc. By using all of the different options we have to keeping our backs and spines healthy we can avoid a trip to the spine surgeon, even if our evolution has predisposed us to that possibility.

Dr. Sam Bakshian is a practicing surgeon at OlympiaMedicalCenter, a partner of Tower Orthopedics in Beverly Hills, and an associate surgeon at CedarsSinaiMedicalCenter, with a new office set to open in Tarzana. Expanding his practice to the Valley will open many opportunities not only for the doctor, but also for Valley residents who may not have been able to see him otherwise. Dr. Bakshian is also the co-director of the Los AngelesCenter for Spine Care and Research at OlympiaMedicalCenter. He is at the forefront of minimally invasive spinally surgery and endoscopic techniques, as well as minimally invasive spinal fusions. Dr. Bakshian specializes in spinal surgeries that relieve pressure on nerves and restore stability to the spine.