The three things a spine surgeon wishes everyone would do to improve their core stability
Don’t let a sedentary lifestyle increase your chances of developing a back problem
The last place anyone wants to be is on Dr Colin Haines’s treatment table. The spine surgeon at VSI in Virginia, USA, doesn’t want you there either, because it means you’re suffering with a serious back problem.
So I wanted to know if Haines had any advice to help people avoid such misfortune.
Haines told me that one of the main culprits for spinal injury is a lack of core stability caused by a sedentary lifestyle.
“Your core muscles act as a natural brace for your spine,” he says. “If that support system is weak, more stress gets transferred to the discs and joints. Over time, that increases the risk of back problems.”
This is bad news if you have a desk job, but thankfully Haines has shared some tips you can apply to reduce your chances of hurting your back.
1. Learn to lift properly
“Lifting heavy objects with poor posture is a recipe for disaster. And this doesn’t just apply to the gym,” says Haines.
“Picking up a toddler, helping a friend move, moving furniture or lifting a heavy suitcase out of the car can cause sudden, severe back pain or a herniated disc.”
Haines says that if you lift by bending forward at the waist and rounding your back, you are putting yourself at risk.
“Or worse: you lift and twist your body at the same time. That combination of bending forward and rotating while holding something heavy is often the culprit behind a back injury,” he says.
Instead, when doing any activity, exercise or chore around the house, Haines advises you to remember the following cues:
- Stand with a straight spine
- Keep your shoulders back
- Actively engage your core muscles
2. Break up sedentary periods with movement
“I see patients every day who sit for 10-12 hours, between their desk job, commute and evenings on the couch,” says Haines.
“Prolonged sitting, especially with poor posture, places more stress on the discs in the spine, and weakens core muscles that are meant to support and stabilize the spine.”
He explains that the strain on your spine and supporting joints is cumulative—the longer you sit, the worse it gets.
“To help avoid the injury risk that comes with sitting for long periods, I recommend standing up every 30 minutes and doing some light stretching,” says Haines.
“Try to take a minute or two to walk down the hallway, if you can.”
For spine health in particular, he recommends doing slow neck circles, holding at each point (left, right, up, down) for 10 seconds.
He also recommends stretching your back whenever you can and keeping screens at eye level to prevent undue strain on your neck.
3. Work on your core strength
The most effective way you can future-proof your spine is by strengthening your core muscles and improving your core stability.
“Having a strong core and good posture will protect your back from injury when you are exercising, especially when you are lifting heavy objects,” says Haines.
“You don’t need hours at the gym to achieve a strong core. Even 10-15 minutes of core-strengthening exercises each day is more effective than an occasional, intense core workout.”
Dr Colin Haines is a nationally recognized spine surgeon practicing at VSI in Reston, Virginia. In 2025, he was awarded the 2025 Castle Connolly Top Doctor honour, putting him in the top 7% of physicians nationwide.
He is one of the few Bertolotti syndrome experts in the U.S. and performed the world’s first combined endoscopic and robot-guided spine surgery.
