October 16th is observed annually as World Spine Day. It’s a day to raise people’s awareness about the conditions and diseases that can affect a person’s spine. It also attempts to bring to people’s attention the treatments that are currently available for people with spinal conditions.

It’s estimated that one out of four adults in the world will have to contend with back pain during their lifetime. It’s also estimated that over a billion people around the world have to deal with back pain regularly. And that’s why people need to observe this holiday when it comes around every year.

The History Of World Spine Day

In Cornwall, England in the year 2000, the Bone and Joint Decade was created and was composed of action networks across dozens of countries. The goal of this organization was to help people with musculoskeletal disorders with an improved quality of life. In October of 2012, they would launch World Day officially to raise awareness about spinal disorders.

This holiday is now a part of BJD Action Week — an event that occurs from October 12th and runs through October 20th. World Spine Day is currently being sponsored by the World Federation of Chiropractic, with the help of over 500 other organizations.

Incredible Facts About The Human Spine

Even though the human spine has its share of problems, it’s still a remarkable piece of natural design. The spine is the main structural support for the human body, and as a result, it has to contend with a lot of strain throughout a person’s life.

And most of the time, it does this just fine. Its strength is why we wanted to talk a little more about it today. Let’s take a few moments and check out some of the facts that we’ve learned while researching World Spine Day.

• At birth, a newborn baby has 33 vertebrae. By the time a person is 25, it’s normal for them to only have 26 due to some of them fusing.
• Humans and giraffes each have the same number of bones in their necks. Each has 7 bones.
• The average spine contains 100 joints, 120 muscles, and 220 individual ligaments.

Observing World Spine Day

World Spine Day is a holiday that’s observed all across the world. It’s not only observed in the U.S and the U.K, but is also observed in Canada, Slovenia, Turkey, and parts of Africa. On this day, various organizations take the time to educate the public on spinal conditions, screening options for these conditions, as well as treatment options available.

People can spread the word about this day using the hashtag #WorldSpineDay to elevate this holiday’s presence on the Internet, and by donating money to organizations that are trying to find new treatments for spinal conditions.