Dr. Vonda Wright

Yes. Well, back pain is endemic in our population due to our lifestyle. We're sitting here for several hours. I'm probably sitting like this all hunched over at some points. Our cores are relaxed. Our front cores are relaxed. Our lower back is relaxed. There's no stimulus to keep our cores strong sitting in a chair. And we do this 10 hours a day at least, right? That's number one.

Yes. Well, back pain is endemic in our population due to our lifestyle. We're sitting here for several hours. I'm probably sitting like this all hunched over at some points. Our cores are relaxed. Our front cores are relaxed. Our lower back is relaxed. There's no stimulus to keep our cores strong sitting in a chair. And we do this 10 hours a day at least, right? That's number one.

Number two, then 70% of people do no meaningful exercise any time of the week. So we never rebuild it. So we get low back pain due to muscle weakness. And another reason we get low back pain, particularly in women or very elderly men, is compression of our vertebrae, compression fractures of our spine. That can be very painful. It presents as low back pain.

Number two, then 70% of people do no meaningful exercise any time of the week. So we never rebuild it. So we get low back pain due to muscle weakness. And another reason we get low back pain, particularly in women or very elderly men, is compression of our vertebrae, compression fractures of our spine. That can be very painful. It presents as low back pain.

I want to differentiate for people listening the difference between low back pain and nerve impingement that needs surgery. Low back pain is that aching in your low back, the stiffness. When you go to a doctor with low back pain, they should be telling you how to get stronger, sending you for physical therapy, to stop smoking if you're smoking because that poisons bones, right?

I want to differentiate for people listening the difference between low back pain and nerve impingement that needs surgery. Low back pain is that aching in your low back, the stiffness. When you go to a doctor with low back pain, they should be telling you how to get stronger, sending you for physical therapy, to stop smoking if you're smoking because that poisons bones, right?

All the lifestyle things. If you have pain starting in your back, but shooting down your leg like electricity, down the back of your leg, like literally, think about how lightning would feel. That is because a nerve is being impinged as it comes out of your spinal cord. That is something that needs to be examined and looked at.

All the lifestyle things. If you have pain starting in your back, but shooting down your leg like electricity, down the back of your leg, like literally, think about how lightning would feel. That is because a nerve is being impinged as it comes out of your spinal cord. That is something that needs to be examined and looked at.

But I just want to differentiate that because a lot of people mistake the two.

But I just want to differentiate that because a lot of people mistake the two.

I do. And walking treadmills. Because there's so much work that we do during the day that isn't deep work. We're emptying out our email. We're returning some phone calls. We're doing the less brain-heavy parts of our job. All can be done standing. Or I've encouraged groups of people that I work with to hold their meetings doing wall squats. Just don't sit at the board table. Pull up a wall.

I do. And walking treadmills. Because there's so much work that we do during the day that isn't deep work. We're emptying out our email. We're returning some phone calls. We're doing the less brain-heavy parts of our job. All can be done standing. Or I've encouraged groups of people that I work with to hold their meetings doing wall squats. Just don't sit at the board table. Pull up a wall.

Everybody squat. Better be a pretty quick meeting because that takes a lot of strength. But to build in that kind of mobility, the only time we really need to sit is when we're solving world peace.

Everybody squat. Better be a pretty quick meeting because that takes a lot of strength. But to build in that kind of mobility, the only time we really need to sit is when we're solving world peace.

The rest of it, we can stand. And in fact, studies have shown that if we're trying to learn something, it's better to be moving as we learn because the kinetic energy of learning is better for our brains. For instance, I used an example yesterday, actually, when I was teaching people how to time manage.

The rest of it, we can stand. And in fact, studies have shown that if we're trying to learn something, it's better to be moving as we learn because the kinetic energy of learning is better for our brains. For instance, I used an example yesterday, actually, when I was teaching people how to time manage.

And I said, when I'm listening to long form podcasts like this, I can't sit for three hours, but I can walk. and listen, and I retain more, for instance.

And I said, when I'm listening to long form podcasts like this, I can't sit for three hours, but I can walk. and listen, and I retain more, for instance.

In terms of studying. Oh, okay.

In terms of studying. Oh, okay.