BackCare is UK’s national charity for back and neck pain since 1968. Back pain doesn’t kill, it tortures – destroying lives and livelihoods. It accounts for half of all chronic pain and is the leading cause of sickness and absence from work.
Back pain is one of the top common causes of absence from work throughout the country. It costs the UK economy around £15 billion every year as over four million working days are lost as a result of the condition. Furthermore, about 80% of the UK population will suffer back pain at some point.
BackCare decided it was important to run a campaign targeted at children and young people as many of the back and neck pain problems experienced by adults are due to them not looking after their backs during their childhood and teenage years.
Previous campaigns have focused on Working from Home; Studying at Home; Spending More Time at Home; Back Pain in Nursing; Back Pain in Golf. Together we can help avoid preventable back injury.
Back pain and related pain conditions account for a quarter of all UK sickness absences from work. Let’s not create another generation of back pain patients.
Dr Brian Hammond, the Chair of BackCare said: “Early teaching of children and young people of the importance of taking care of their backs is bound to have a positive effect on the health of their backs as adults… there are simple things children and young people can do, such as sitting properly and not for too long, exercising regularly, stretching and lifting correctly. They also need to know how to carry their school books and equipment in a way that does not harm their back or neck.”
In 2015, BackCare surveyed 900 secondary school pupils (11-16 years) across the UK, revealing that two thirds of UK secondary pupils have experienced back pain. One in four UK secondary pupils suffers from back pain regularly or every day – this was higher amongst girls (27%) than boys (19%). Neck and shoulder pain were also very common, affecting a similar number.
School bag burden was found to be very common and strongly linked to back pain. Half of those surveyed said their school bag often or always felt tiring or too heavy for them. Back pain was ten times more common amongst pupils with heavy or tiring school bags.
Pupils were also asked to estimate the number of hours they spend sitting per day in the classroom, at meal times, whilst travelling, when doing homework and during their free time. The survey revealed that UK secondary pupils sit for an average of nine hours per day. Back pain was almost doubled amongst pupils with higher than average sitting times. Studies have linked sitting for more than four hours per day with increased risk of diabetes, obesity, heart disease, cancer, depression and dementia.
With the global pandemic in mind, the past two years have been extremely difficult for all. As a result BackCare Awareness Week 2021 (4th to 8th October) they will be paying particular attention to:
- Working from Home
- Studying at Home
- Spending more time at Home
They have not forgotten those who are still working from offices, factories, schools, colleges, universities and hospitals too. BackCare Awareness Week 2021 has something for everyone.
A little bit of history about back pain. in 1500 B.C. The earliest surviving surgical text is the incomplete “Edwin Smith Papyrus” which ends in the middle of a description of an acute back strain.
In1300 B.C. in Ancient Egypt According to researchers, King Tutankhamun suffers from painful back pain and had a curved spine.
In 1828 causes of Back Pain Are explored and for the first time, a physician from Glasgow Royal Infirmary publishes a study claiming that back discomfort could be caused by the vertebral column and nerve system.
In 1968 Back Care is born and Businessman and philanthropist Stanley Grundy establishes the organization, BackCare.
Source: Back Care, Health Assured National Today
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