Viewing low back pain through the lens of spinal evolution: Understanding the morphology and limits of the human spine
This study visually traces the evolution of human spinal posture from the hunter-gatherer era to modern industrial life, highlighting a shift from dynamic, biomechanically healthy positions to static and suboptimal postures. These changes, reflected in historical art and linked to lifestyle transitions such as agriculture and industrialization, may underlie the rising prevalence of spinal disorders. The findings suggest that aligning modern practices with the spine's evolutionary design could help prevent and manage spinal pathologies.
Authors
- Melih Üçer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2004-2991)
- Abdullah Emre Taçyıldız
- Aydın Sinan Apaydın
- Özden Erhan Sofuoğlu
Institutions
- Karabük University (TR)
- Bakırköy Psychiatric Hospital (TR)
- Biruni University (TR)
Publication Details
- Journal
- PLoS ONE
- Published
- 2026-01-16
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0339032
- Primary Topic
- Musculoskeletal pain and rehabilitation
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00