National Spinal Health Month: A Healthy Spine Supports A Healthy Mind
June is National Spinal Health Month, an initiative of the Australian Chiropractors Association (ACA) to encourage Australians to join the “spinal health movement” to prevent back pain disorders that remain one of the leading causes of disability in Australia while increasing mental health complications for sufferers.
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) and the World Health Organisation (WHO), musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) including back pain, account for the greatest proportion of persistent pain conditions which is often linked to depression and psychological distress.
ACA President Dr Billy Chow said, “The coexistence of back pain and mental health conditions is associated with impaired quality of life while the increased risk of developing a chronic back pain condition also poses a significant ongoing financial burden on sufferers and the economy as a whole.
“Encouraging Australians to address MSDs by managing their spinal health not only helps inhibit chronic back pain but can also mitigate negative secondary implications on sufferers’ mental health and overall wellbeing,” said Dr Chow.
The link between MSDs, specifically back pain and depression is well documented in research studies including a study by the International Association for the Study of Pain (2021) that found people living with chronic back pain are at heightened risk of experiencing mental health problems.
Dr Eunise Yeo of Docklands Health said “While chronic back pain can lead to developing psychological and social problems, depressive symptoms can worsen back pain and increase the disability associated with the condition, which in turn can exacerbate back pain’s negative impact on the mental health of sufferers.”
Research by Monash University’s School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (August 2025) has projected that if we fail to tackle common back pain through promoting advice to stay active and receive appropriate care, by 2033, 3.2 million working-age Australians will be living with chronic back pain leading to a loss of approximately 4.6 per cent to Australia’s gross Domestic Product over a 10-year period.
6.1 million Australians (almost 1 in 3) are already impacted by MSDs, of which 58% are of working age (25-64 years) in their peak income earning years with chronic back disorders projected to cost the Australian economy an estimated $638 billion in lost productivity over the next decade.
The projected growth of 43 percent in MSD cases over the next two decades, combined with 43 percent of Australians having already reported experiencing a mental health disorder at some point in their lives; the importance of maintaining spinal health to minimise chronic back pain and the associated mental ill-health conditions cannot be overstated.
“By underscoring the significance of improving our spinal health and addressing symptoms promptly, we can prevent chronic back pain that negatively impacts mental health and overall wellbeing, while reducing both the personal economic burden on sufferers and the Australian economy,” Dr Yeo said.
Annually, MSDs cost the Australian economy around $55.1 billion in direct health costs, lost productivity and reduced quality of life while significantly limiting mobility and dexterity that leads to early retirement, reduced socio-economic circumstances and limits the ability to participate in social activities causing isolation.
Together with the personal and overall economic strain on the mental health system this demonstrates the dire need to improve spinal health to prevent and minimise the impact of MSDs.
Psychological distress in the form of anxiety or depression is common among acute back pain sufferers. Even when symptoms are short-term and not medically serious, without appropriate early treatment acute back pain can lead to chronic back pain disorders increasing physical and mental health disability risks.
Risk factors of developing long-term chronic back pain include avoidance behaviours when back pain sufferers ignore symptoms and avoid movements or activities due to fear of causing injury or increasing pain.
However, while limiting movements and activities may be recommended for some acute injuries during healing, if sufferers ignore symptoms and restrict or avoid movements and activities in response to chronic pain (Fear Avoidance Beliefs Model), it can increase pain and the risk of disability over the long-term.
Sydney University research also suggests Australians are incorrectly being prescribed opioids for relief of back pain despite the compelling evidence that opioids do not relieve ‘acute’ low back pain (lasting up to 12 weeks) and can result in patients experiencing worse pain while opioids can sometimes cause harm.
Shifting chronic back pain treatment away from medications to integrated, holistic healthcare is recommended including care that provides lifestyle support, advice to remain active and working, and tools to self-manage pain to help reduce disability, improve quality of life and boost workforce participation and productivity.
Holistic care in the treatment of back pain can also help mitigate the need for medical interventions, reduce hospital admissions and help lower long-term healthcare costs for the individual and the economy for both MSD and mental healthcare treatments.
“By taking an informed, proactive approach through preventative measures including making healthy lifestyle changes, remaining active and seeking early intervention when back problems do occur; back pain treatment can be effective and help limit the instances of mental health complications among sufferers,” said Dr Eunise Yeo.
“Maintaining spinal health is essential to staying active, independent and feeling good at any age, so by tackling Australia’s very common back pain issue, we can improve the physical and mental health of society and aid in addressing stagnant productivity while reducing costs to the Australian economy,” she said.
According to Global Health Education Australia, over 300,000 Australians visit a chiropractor each week, with demand for chiropractic healthcare increasing as more Australians seek holistic, non-invasive, drug-free healthcare to manage MSDs and minimise chronic back pain and its associated secondary implications.
Following 29 years of Spinal Health Week, Australia’s longest running, award-winning spinal health initiative, ACA is proud to mark the campaign’s 30th anniversary by launching National Spinal Health Month in June to improve the spinal health of Australians of all ages.
During National Spinal Health Month, Docklands Health is encouraging our community to join the “spinal health movement” to get back to feeling good by maintaining a healthy spine to support a healthy mind.
With four out of five Australians expected to experience back pain at some point in their lives, and with chronic pain increasing the risk of mental health challenges, if people are experiencing back pain issues, they should contact us on (03) 9088 3228 for a spinal health assessment.
Visit spinalhealth.org.au to download FREE information including the Back Pain Factsheet, the Back Pain & Mental Health Factsheet and a range of posters on how many musculoskeletal conditions including back pain, can be prevented with some lifestyle changes and treated with drug-free, holistic healthcare.
Dr Michael Edgley
Docklands Health
www.docklandshealth.com.au
#SpinalHealthMonth #HealthySpineHealthyMind #ConsultAChiro #AdjustYourThinking
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