01/15/2026
People who are very tall (around 7 feet or close to it, like ) are more prone to lower-back and hip problems mainly because of how the body handles size, load, and mechanics over time. Here are the key reasons explained simply:
1. Greater mechanical stress
A taller body means longer bones and levers.
The spine and hips must support more body mass over a longer distance.
This increases compressive and shear forces on the lumbar spine and hip joints.
2. Longer lever arms = more torque
When tall people bend, twist, or lift, the moment arm acting on the lower back is longer.
Even everyday movements create higher torque at the lumbar spine and hips, accelerating wear and tear.
3. Postural challenges
Very tall people often:
Slouch to fit into chairs, cars, desks, and doorways
Spend years adapting to environments designed for average-height bodies
This leads to chronic spinal flexion, anterior pelvic tilt, or uneven loading of the hips.
4. Muscle imbalance and delayed strength adaptation
Muscles must work harder to stabilize longer bones.
Core, glute, and hip stabilizers may fatigue faster or lag behind skeletal growth—especially in tall adolescents.
Result: reduced spinal and pelvic stability.
5. Disc and joint degeneration
Taller individuals tend to have:
Higher disc compression
Increased risk of lumbar disc herniation
Earlier onset of hip joint degeneration (labral tears, early arthritis)
6. Gait and movement inefficiency
Longer stride length and altered gait mechanics can increase:
Hip joint loading
Repetitive stress on lumbar segments
7. Connective tissue factors
Extremely tall individuals may have:
Greater ligament laxity
Less passive joint stability
This increases reliance on muscles for joint control, raising injury risk.
8. Equipment mismatch
Chairs, beds, gym machines, and car seats are rarely sized correctly.
Poor ergonomics = chronic stress on the lower back and hips.
