Movement is the key for back pain relief

Back pain will affect 80% of the UK population at some stage of our lives, according to research. It is actually the second largest cause of absence from work, amounting to 50 million days of absence a year! 

Some people are more at risk of backache because of their jobs, e.g., manual workers who are required to do a lot of heavy lifting or repetitive tasks are likely to suffer from back pain if they do not keep their backs healthy. Whatever your job type or lifestyle, back pain can be managed.

Did you know that keeping your back active, rather than holding it in a static position is often the most effective way of preventing back pain and recovering from a back injury? We recently read the views of Dr. Stuart McGill, a world leading researcher in the field of back pain. His work is admired and implemented throughout the world.

He says, “stresses develop during sitting that become problematic if they are not reduced. For example, when sitting slouched, muscle activity is minimal but the passive tissues (ligaments and annulus of the disc) become stressed.”

We are now beginning to understand the effects of prolonged loading on these structures; it can result in back muscle spasms and diminishes reflex responses. “Full flexion during slouched sitting increases disc annulus stresses; this posture has produced disc herniations in the lab” (e.g., Wilder et al., 1988).

Unfortunately the typical recommendation of sitting up straight is not sound advice either. Research shows that sitting upright will engage your back extensors and activate your psoas more, which only increases the compressive forces on your spine. So where do we go from here?

There are ways to reduce the stresses above.  As Dr. McGill explains, “the objective is to make sitting a dynamic activity with frequent posture changes. Changing lumbar posture causes a migration of the loads from one tissue to another.”

Martin Says...

We should reduce the risk and make sitting a dynamic task; ideal posture is one that continuously changes.  There are many back supports available on the market to help manage and prevent back pain. One such device is the Dynaspine Back Support. Dynaspine was designed in conjunction with Martin Haines, Biomechanics Coach, CEO of Intelligent Training Systems (ITS) and Chairman of the UK Biomechanics Coaching Association, plus a team of orthotists and physiotherapists. The views of Dr. McGill supports the theory behind the back support; that a static back support is not as effective at helping your back as that of a dynamic device, which helps much more!

What is Dynaspine?

The Dynaspine Back Support has 2 back support plates that are built on a special spring mechanism. This encourages the back muscles to keep moving, provides continuous support through changes in seating positions and also promotes a healthy posture to help achieve back pain relief.

Dynaspine can be used in the car, in the office, at home....almost anywhere! Try the Dynaspine Back Support today, with a 30-day money back guarantee, free delivery and a free carry case!

Become a back pain specialist

Here at Intelligent Training Systems, we run a course on back pain so you can become a Biomechanics Coach; Back Specialist, become registered with REPs and also be able to take you up to Level 4 on the REPS register.

The course will help you understand back pathology and adapt exercise and screening for those clients/patients who may suffer from lower back pain. The Biomechanics Back Specialist course is available on various dates throughout the year but there are limited spaces.

If you’re interested call Rachel on 0115 878 0466 for more information and to book your place.