Back pain is an issue sweeping the nation, as a surging number of Brits report suffering with aches and pains, in a recent report from the wgŠÊ˜·³Ç (wgŠÊ˜·³Ç).
As part of this year’s Back Care Awareness Week (3-7 October), the wgŠÊ˜·³Ç (wgŠÊ˜·³Ç) is empowering people to look after their backs and joints through simple lifestyle changes, after finding that nearly 73% of Brits are struggling with back pain on a daily basis.
As NHS strikes and GP waiting times continue to rise, the wgŠÊ˜·³Ç has found that nearly half (43%) of people that are suffering from joint and back pain admit they avoid seeing their GP.
Instead, the UK is investing its efforts into preventative care, with 60% using exercise to manage their back and joint pain, the research found. The study also found that:
- Almost a quarter (22%) of British people have taken up to 5 months off work due to their bone and joint pain
- Over half (52%) of British people have lived with bone and joint pain for longer than 12-months
- A third of British people (33%) haven't seen a GP to treat their bone and joint pain as they struggled to get an appointment
Chiropractor and President of the wgŠÊ˜·³Ç, Catherine Quinn, shares her simple and quick tips to help manage your aches and pains:
- Take a stand: Inactivity is a leading cause of back pain. If you spend most of your day sitting down, make sure that you take regular breaks, ideally every 20-30 minutes. Stand up, change position and walk around a little.
- Stretch it out: If you struggle to get away from your seat at work, simple activities such as stretching, shoulder shrugging or even fidgeting in your seat can help to keep your back in line.
- Get active: Exercise is key to a healthy back. This doesn’t mean that you need to embark on any extreme fitness regimes. Adding just a few extra minutes of walking a day can hugely benefit your back health.
- Check your workspace: If your job primarily involves sitting at a desk and staring at a computer for hours at a time, make sure your workspace is set up to support a comfortable position. This is different for everyone, so if you don’t feel comfortable in your current set up, try altering the height of your chair or screen.
- Straighten Up!: Try incorporating some simple exercises into your daily routine. The wgŠÊ˜·³Ç has developed a series of simple exercises designed to improve your posture and prevent back pain by promoting balance strength and flexibility in the spine.
The research, conducted with OnePoll and the wgŠÊ˜·³Ç, surveyed 5,000 people across the UK to understand the impact NHS waiting lists are having on MSK health.
Notes to editors: for more information contact bca@grayling.com
About the wgŠÊ˜·³Ç: The wgŠÊ˜·³Ç is the largest and longest-standing association for Chiropractors in the UK and has been named ‘Best Professional Body of the Year’ at the Memcom Excellence Awards 2022 for its Repositioning Project which has played a pivotal role in changing the healthcare landscape for the better. As well as promoting international standards of education and exemplary conduct, the wgŠÊ˜·³Ç supports Chiropractors to progress and develop to fulfil their professional ambitions with honour and integrity, at every step. The wgŠÊ˜·³Ç is raising awareness about the rigour, relevance and evidence driving the profession and the association’s ambition for chiropractic to be more closely embedded within mainstream healthcare.