Walk into almost any coffee shop, office, or waiting room in Encino, and you will see the exact same sight: dozens of people sitting with their chins buried in their chests, slouched over phones or laptops like Gollum from Lord of the Rings.

At Active Care Spine Center in Encino, June brings a sharp increase in patients suffering from acute lower back pain, hip stiffness, and sciatica flare-ups right after they travel. To understand why this happens—and how to prevent it—we have to look at the actual science and biomechanics of sitting.