Sedentary lifestyles drive rise in early joint degeneration among young adults in Vietnam

The World Health Organization has warned that musculoskeletal conditions are now a leading cause of reduced mobility among young adults, driven by prolonged sitting, limited physical activity, and repetitive strain from digital devices.

Doctors in major Vietnamese cities say they are seeing more patients in their 20s and 30s complaining of chronic back, neck and knee pain, with imaging tests revealing early degeneration of the spine or joints.

At Ho Chi Minh City University Medical Center, a 28-year-old office worker was recently diagnosed with mild degeneration of the cervical and lumbar spine after months of neck stiffness and lower-back pain, conditions doctors linked to long hours of sitting and limited exercise.

“The number of young patients has clearly increased, especially among office workers,” said Le Nhat Duy, a doctor at the hospital.

“Poor posture, excess weight, and lack of movement place repeated mechanical stress on joints, accelerating damage.”

Doctors say early joint degeneration, defined as cartilage damage appearing before age 40, is increasingly common in people aged 25-35, particularly those with sedentary jobs, sports-related overuse injuries or prolonged exposure to improper movement patterns.

Symptoms are often mild at first and easy to ignore, including dull pain after standing or climbing stairs, brief morning stiffness or clicking sounds during movement, physicians said, leading many patients to seek care only after the condition has worsened.

Many young people injure their knee cartilage by exercising incorrectly, overtraining or wearing high heels frequently, and without early detection and treatment the damage can spread and become difficult to reverse.

Pham The Hien, secretary-general of the Ho Chi Minh City Society of Arthroscopic Orthopedics

Pham The Hien, secretary-general of the Ho Chi Minh City Society of Arthroscopic Orthopedics, said joint degeneration can begin silently after age 30, with office workers especially vulnerable to knee, wrist, and spinal problems.

“Many young people keep exercising despite pain, turning minor injuries into chronic damage that is much harder to treat,” he said.

Treatment focuses on rehabilitation, strengthening muscles around joints, correcting posture and controlling weight, doctors said, while surgery is typically reserved for severe cases that significantly affect daily life.

The WHO recommends adults engage in at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week, and doctors advise regular movement breaks, proper warm-ups before exercise and early medical evaluation if joint pain persists for more than two weeks.

Health experts also cautioned against unproven therapies, noting that U.S. regulators have not approved stem cell treatments for musculoskeletal disorders.