How PGI's chronic back pain module of yoga and physiotherapy got 26-year-old out of bed: His recovery plan is now an app

Indian Express

09-05-2025

This is the story of a doctor-patient relationship that evolved from pain—a lot of it. Sahil Dev, 26, a visual effects professional, had been struggling with debilitating pain after a football injury, which left him only able to walk sideways. 'I had a curved spine, couldn't comb my hair, dropped a year of college, and took painkillers just to sit through a two-hour exam. I was bedridden for a year,' he recalls. Dr Babita Ghai, head of the pain clinic at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, helped straighten Sahil's spine through a combination of yoga and physiotherapy. Given that Sahil was a visual artist and Dr Ghai had researched chronic back pain in Indians, both decided to develop an app for back pain prevention and care.
'This app by PGI will be the first in India to provide comprehensive resources for patients with back pain,' says Dr Ghai. She believes chronic back pain isn't just about medications and injections. 'It's about self-management and patient agency,' she adds. Dr. Ghai is also the lead investigator of the study The Yoga Brain Connection: A Neuroscientific Approach to Chronic Back Pain Management.
Chronic back pain refers to pain lasting more than three months after tissue healing. Dr Ghai explains, 'Acute pain acts as a warning sign, while chronic pain is a condition. Sedentary lifestyles, poor posture, lack of exercise, and poor eating habits are primary causes of various chronic pains.' Once considered a condition linked to aging, chronic back pain is increasingly seen in young adults and adolescents. 'It may soon become an epidemic among the younger population. Our eight-city survey shows that 13% of people suffer from chronic back pain, a significant number,' she adds. At PGI's pain clinic, 70% of patients report chronic back pain. 'Early intervention is crucial to prevent a severe impact on functional ability and mental health,' says Dr Ghai.
Sahil's MRI after his football injury revealed a disc bulge. His previous doctor suggested surgery, but Sahil wasn't willing to consider it. 'My body tilted to the left, and I couldn't walk. Everyday activities like using the washroom, eating, or sitting became a challenge. I had to stop attending college classes. I had to sleep in one position and often woke up at 3 am., playing games or reading to pass the sleepless hours,' says Sahil. Despite medication, physiotherapy, laser therapy, acupressure, and dry needling, the pain kept worsening. 'It was difficult to reconcile with my condition as I was into sports like skating and gymming,' he adds.
When Dr Ghai saw Sahil, she realized that in addition to the disc bulge, Sahil had scoliosis—a condition where the spine curves abnormally, often resembling an 'S' or 'C' shape. 'The centre of gravity shifts behind the bones rather than over them, causing minimal weight-bearing on the legs and increasing pressure on the lumbar discs, stretching the ligaments and muscles supporting the spine,' Dr Ghai explains.
Along with medical treatments, Sahil needed to change his lifestyle. He avoided long sitting hours, improved his posture while working on his laptop, and became mindful of not slouching. He also took breaks every hour and adjusted how he carried his computer bag to ensure an equal weight distribution.
However, it was low-impact exercises and yoga that helped the most. He was guided through gentle postures, including knee-to-chest stretches, upper spinal extensions, and cat-camel exercises. Slow diaphragmatic breathing accompanied these movements. 'After about two weeks, I could feel my body straightening. I began swimming and walking in the water. The bounce of the water helped me move my limbs. Despite the pain, I didn't give up and returned to the pool every morning,' says Sahil.
He also set up a studio at home, where he could follow the stretching and breathing routines recommended by his doctors. His dietician sister put him on a diet high in calcium and Vitamin D, with protein in every meal and limited sweets. 'I had sprouts, salads, sattu and bajra rotis. I had roasted chickpeas and seed mixes for snacks, moved my fruit as dessert and kept to a per meal calorie plan. I would monitor my weight weekly and walk after every meal. All of this also improved my mental health profile, completely eliminating my anxiety,' says Sahil.
Dr Ghai's app will provide detailed guidance on maintaining a healthy spine. The app will feature 2D animation videos illustrating common activities, showing both correct and incorrect ways of sitting, standing, eating, washing dishes, and watching TV. There will be practical tips, like keeping the laptop screen at a 90-degree angle with your line of sight and placing the mouse at a 90-degree angle. The app will also provide instructions on exercises to strengthen lower abdominals, obliques, and quadratus muscles.
Initially, the app will be available for PGIMER patients and can be run on Android phones. 'The key to pain management is awareness. The rehabilitation plan in the app has been created with the help of psychologists, and the exercises have been approved by 20 national and international experts,' Dr Ghai explains.