Nonspecific back pain is a leading cause of lost job time, to say nothing of the time and money spent in search of relief. The spinal column is an extraordinary mechanism, providing the stability we use to stand upright and the flexibility we need for active movement. The spine, or backbone, is actually a stack of 24 individual bones called vertebrae. A healthy spine is S-shaped when viewed from the side, curving back at the shoulders and inward at the neck and small of the back.
Back pain can have many causes.
The upright posture is designed for walking, and that's what people did for most of human history. Only in this century, with the advent of motor vehicles, have most people gone from place to place while sitting down. In much the same way, our work habits are changing. Today, a high proportion of people spend the better part of their working day sitting at desks, at work stations, or in cars and trucks. People who walk a lot or do physical labor develop good muscle tone in their backs and legs.