Uploaded January 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago

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We ask a lot of our spines. They keep us upright, they bend into myriad positions, and they protect our spinal cord, a huge job by itself. And they go the distance, doing all of those things, if we’re lucky, well into our 90s. But the longer we live, the more we wear out our spines. That’s where Dr. Jian Guan comes in. He handles complicated spinal issues that don’t get better with rest, exercise or physical therapy. After medical school and residency, he did a fellowship in complex spinal neurosurgery at the Lahey Clinic in Massachusetts, one of the top U.S. spine centers. Many of the patients that Dr. Guan sees have been in accidents or experienced other trauma. But many others are the victims of poor posture and inactivity, two things that are detrimental to spine health. In this episode, Dr. Guan talks about how important it is to get up and out of chairs in front of our computers and how to sit when we must. Hit play and learn how to keep an incredible structure healthy for the long run.