Talkback - spring 2012

£2.95 • FREE TO MEMBERS

BackCare challenge in the London Marathon page 16

Benefits anxiety page 4 Headsets cut pain page 9 Five star gadgets page 11 Peering into the future page 14

spring 2012

talkback

■ Back health ■ Back products ■ Back care

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spring 2012

With more than 3,000 members, the British Acupuncture Council is the UK’s principal body for professional standards in acupuncture.

To find your local registered practitioner, contact 020 8735 0400 or visit www.acupuncture.org.uk

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Contacts

Inside this issue

Firstly, welcome to the spring 2012 edition of Talkback magazine. We’d like to thank you, our members and readers, for your ongoing interest and support.

None of this would be possible without you. We hope you find this latest issue to be interesting and informative in its coverage and range of topics. As ever, we’d love to hear your views on Talkback and what you would like to see in future editions.

We’re pleased to announce the appointment of our new Head of Research.

With a background in medical research, Dr Adam Al-Kashi PhD joined us back in January and will be taking on the research and information departments. He’s keen to get stuck in and has already set up a news blog and professional forum http://bitly.com/proforumnews.

Our focus in this edition is twofold. With the London Marathon just around the corner, our team of nearly 30 runners are gearing up and making their final preparations. But fear not as there is still time to show your support by sponsoring a runner (page 16). The second theme is gadgets – we have a roundup of the top five gadgets to help ease your pain, whether in the home, office or during your summer holiday, and without breaking the bank.

Always with our finger on the pulse, we also bring you research news with a selection of studies from the cutting edge. This includes research funded by BackCare, as well as research conducted by BackCare professional members, and findings from Plantronics, the maker of the headset used on Neil Armstrong’s moon landing.

In addition, we recently witnessed the UK’s first ‘Acupuncture Awareness Week’, and with NICE guidelines recommending that GPs prescribe acupuncture for back pain, we report on the role it can play in back care.

With the London 2012 Games fast approaching, our next issue will be sporting a decidedly Olympic theme and we welcome your contributions. Our Olympic issue is due out in July so please send your suggestions and articles to info@backcare.org.uk.

BackCare 16 Elmtree Road, Teddington Middlesex TW11 8ST Tel: +44 (0)20 8977 5474 Fax: (0)20 8943 5318 Email: info@backcare.org.uk Helpline: +44 (0) 845 130 2704 Website: www.backcare.org.uk

Rest regime results

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App comes to Android

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Negative thinking

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Editorial team Schula Byrne and Adam Al-Kashi

Return of Talkback – readers’ comments “I should like to say how pleased I was to see the return of your Talkback magazine as it carried so many interesting and varied articles. Reading other people’s experiences and learning about all the new and innovative treatments that are now available is very interesting and informative.”

Elaine Hamilton – individual member of BackCare

Registered as the National Back Pain Association charity number 256751 Designed and produced by Pages Creative, Stirling House, College Road, Cheltenham GL53 7HY. Printed by Severnprint of Gloucester on FSC Essential Silk Articles written by freelance contributors do not necessarily represent the views of BackCare. We welcome articles from readers for consideration for publication and reserve the right to edit submissions.

Paid advertisements do not necessarily represent the views of BackCare, neither does BackCare necessarily recommend produces and services advertised in Talkback.

We request you exercise your own judgement as to whether an item or service advertised is likely to help you personally and, where appropriate, take advice from your doctor before purchasing.

Any complaints regarding advertised services or products should be addressed to the marketing manager at BackCare.

The information in this magazine was believed to be correct at time of going to press; BackCare cannot be responsible for any errors or omissions. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without permission of the copyright holder, BackCare . © BackCare

Acupuncture awareness

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Branches go online

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Marathon efforts

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Back breaking work?

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How to leave a legacy

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Advertise in Talkback

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contents

news

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backcare news

BackCare news

Benefits shake-up adds to anxieties of long-term sick and disabled Long-term sick and disabled people, including back pain sufferers, will be forced to work for free or risk having their benefits slashed under controversial new plans drawn up by the Department for Works and Pensions (DWP).

Health medics and charities have said they fear those deemed fit to undertake limited amounts of work under a government assessment process could suffer further harm to their health if the plans go ahead.

The new policy, outlined by DWP officials during talks with disability groups, is due to be announced after legal changes contained in clause 54 of the welfare reform bill have made their way through Parliament.

The policy could mean that those on employment and support allowance who have been placed in the work-related activity group (WRAG) could be obliged to undertake work experience within charities, public sector bodies and high street retailers. The WRAG group includes those who have been diagnosed with terminal cancer but have more than six months to live; accident and stroke victims; and some of those with mental health issues.

In official notes from a meeting on December 1 last

year, DWP advisers revealed they were not intending to put a time limit on the work experience placements.

When asked at the meeting if there was a maximum duration to the work placements, the reply was: “There are no plans to introduce a maximum time limit”.

The latest figures reveal that there are just over

300,000 claimants in the WRAG group – a number which is expected to rise as coalition reforms continue.

From September 2010 to August 2011, 8,400 claimants incurred sanctions for conduct such as missing interviews with benefit advisers “without good reason”.

Neil Bateman of the National Association of Welfare Rights Advisers said: “This proposal is very worrying.

There are completely inadequate legal and medical safeguards – bearing in mind that these are people with long-term health problems and disabilities, often serious ones. Compulsory, unpaid work may worsen some people’s health, with the consequences of the DWP’s saving being passed on to the NHS at a greater cost.”

A DWP spokesperson said: “It is clear that some groups wish to label people with a variety of illnesses and conditions as unable to work. Our reforms look at what an individual can do and wants to do. For those claimants for whom work is not a realistic option, there will be unconditional support available. Placements would normally be short term, but there is currently no set duration and this will generally be agreed between the adviser and the claimant.”

Results of rest regime to alleviate pain are inconclusive Lower back pain due to Modic changes can be hard to treat and the current claim of staying active and maintaining an exercise regime often does not apply.

Modic changes (MC) in the spine, where the bone marrow is infiltrated by serum, can only be seen using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Evidence has suggested that MC associated with non-muscular lower back pain, caused by mechanical stress, is likely to be more responsive to rest rather than physical activity.

Results of a trial published in BMC Medicine, comparing exercise to daily rest, demonstrated that both treatments resulted in the same level of improvement. The study, based at the Spine Centre in Denmark, was designed to focus on two groups of patients over a period of 10 weeks with follow up after one year.

One group experienced two hours of rest periods per day while wearing a lumbar support and the other group experienced exercise once a week. The study

team, led by Rikke K Jensen, found no differences between the two groups at either 10 weeks or one year.

Rikke Jensen concluded: “Since lower back pain for these patients did not improve with rest against weekly exercise, this suggests that the MC itself might not be causing pain and two hours of rest a day was not enough, or that different types of MC may respond better than others to rest.”

It is well documented that a moderate amount of exercise is beneficial to physical and mental wellbeing, suggesting that any improvements seen by both groups could be due to the patient “taking control” of their disease rather than the actual treatment of rest or exercise.

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GPs to prescribe advice via mobile Likely boost for BackCare app…

GPs will be asked to recommend mobile phone apps that are free or cheap for their patients to use.

The new initiative, by the Health Secretary Andrew Lansley, is part of an effort to empower patients and reduce visits to surgeries.

BackCare is also looking forward to launch a national campaign to encourage PCTs to recommend the BackCare android app – to be launched later this month – which will contain all the same features as our award-winning iPhone app. The download provides a range of cutting-

edge information on back and neck pain prevention, useful videos and exercise techniques. Other features include a list of our approved healthcare practitioner members that can be searched via speciality and postcode.

The BackCare app is the only purposebuilt app in Europe that targets back pain sufferers, requesting just a small donation from our users so that we can continue our research into improving the lives of back and neck pain sufferers.

For more information, go to www.backcare.org.uk/backcareApp

The BackCare app in use on a mobile smartphone

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backcare news

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android app

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BackCare app comes to Android “Brilliant exercises that do just enough ★★★★★“ “Great Free App ★★★★★“ Winner of the 2011 Charity Times award for ‘Best Use of Technology’, the BackCare app that was first released on the iPhone is now being made available for Android users. n Back care information n Recommended exercises n Instructional videos n Local practitioner search “I am not at all surprised at the accolades the app has already received. To be winner of the ‘Best Use of Technology’ at the Charity Times Awards 2011 was more than deserved and it is a worthy credit that you have already been featured in the Sunday Times Top 500 apps list”, Richard Kirk, Human Frameworks Ltd

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Doctor Nicole Tang and colleagues at Keele University have been investigating the relationship between chronic pain and the way we think

Dr Nicole Tang

Negative thinking linked to chronic pain In a study partly funded by BackCare, 20 chronic pain sufferers (five men, 15 women; average age 45) volunteered to undergo psychological interviewing. Back pain was by far the most common type of pain and was reported in 75 per cent of participants.

The study looked in particular at ‘rumination’ – a type of repetitive thinking process in which people focus on their distress and symptoms. Rumination is a central phenomenon in emotional disorders, such as depression, and is commonly observed in chronic pain.

Common ruminations included: “I think about how I am going to cope in the future”, “I think that the pain medication might stop working” and “I think about whether I will have

to give up my job if the pain gets worse”.

Three quarters of participants were classified as frequent ruminators and almost two thirds reported ruminating “very often” or “almost always”. These individuals tended to find it hard to “switch off”, often got “stuck” in uncontrollable episodes of negative thinking, and tended to believe ruminating could help them solve their problems.

More than a third of participants said ruminating made their pain worse and a quarter reported ruminating at night because they could not sleep or because it would not let them sleep.

By contrast, a quarter of the volunteers were classified

as being infrequent ruminators. These individuals held quite different beliefs, stating: “I don’t see the point in ruminating”. Unlike frequent ruminators, these participants were able to generate and engage in alternative behaviours – “I do something to take my mind off the pain” – which were often action-oriented and allowed them to move on without getting stuck.

Commenting on the future of this research, Dr Tang said: “We are currently exploring the relationship between rumination and pain in greater depth. Ultimately, this research points towards interventions that would aim to help frequent ruminators become infrequent ones through cognitive training.”

Electric brain stimulation may not help non-specific lower back pain Trans-cranial direct current stimulation of the brain has previously been shown to give potential benefit to sufferers of certain pain syndromes such as fibromyalgia.

In a recent study funded by BackCare, Neil O’Connell and colleagues at Brunel University, the University of Notre Dame Australia, the University of South Australia and the Hillingdon Hospital Physiotherapy Department set out to test this form of brain stimulation on people who suffer from non-specific chronic lower back pain. Non-specific pain is not associated with injury or physical disease at the site of the pain; it is thought to be controlled centrally by the brain, making it a promising candidate for brain stimulation technologies.

As demonstrated by researcher John Cossar (pictured right), eight volunteers were given 20 minutes of electric brain stimulation, or a control/‘sham’ stimulation, every working day for a month. Previous studies suggest that the benefits of this stimulation start to appear after three consecutive days. However, no significant improvement was found in the sufferers of non-specific chronic lower back pain even after two weeks. This is the first study to question the usefulness of electric brain stimulation for a non-specific pain syndrome and suggests there may be more to this puzzle of pain than previously thought.

research

BackCare-funded research

Independent research

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independent research

‘Mind-body’treatment proves fruitful In 1994, an American research group presented evidence that MRI evidence of spinal degeneration was equally common in people with and without symptoms.

More than half of people without symptoms had a bulging disc and more than a quarter had a protrusion, leading the authors to comment that “the discovery by MRI of disc bulges or protrusions in people with low back pain may frequently be coincidental” (http://bitly.com/mriback).

Since then, several published studies have shown that chronic pain sufferers

can benefit from psychologically focused approaches and most NHS Pain Clinics now have cognitive behavioural therapists within their pain management teams.

In 2009, chartered physiotherapist and BackCare professional member, Georgina Oldfield, received a patient (‘Paula’, female, 39 years) who had just suffered a weeklong severe exacerbation of her chronic back pain, with numbness and tingling down both legs. The back pain episodes had started more than five years before, worsening in severity and frequency since

then, with a severe episode lasting six months in 2007. Lumbar X-ray in 2005 had indicated degenerative changes and MRI showed bulges at L3/4, L4/5 and L5/S1.

Drawing upon the principles of her mentor, Dr John Sarno, and her own knowledge and experience, Georgina proceeded to treat Paula for a stress illness diagnosis; this involved mapping out the traumas and stresses experienced from childhood to the present day. As the process unfolded, Paula gained new insight into the psychosocial patterns

Georgina Oldfield

that had populated her life so far. With a structured programme of psychological education and emotional journaling techniques, Paula was able to return to work within a week and achieved complete pain relief after five weeks.

Her neurological symptoms had also resolved, with a full range of movement with normal leg sensation and spinal reflexes. She has now been pain-free for more than two years. In 2010, Georgina created the Stress Illness Recovery Practitioner’s Association (SIRPA) to help train other practitioners in these techniques.

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In 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first human to set foot on the moon, uttering his famous phrase: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” through a Plantronics headset.

Plantronics headsets in use in an office environment

Wireless headsets‘cut pain by half’ Musculoskeletal pain, such as chronic back pain, neck pain and repetitive strain injury, account for half of all absences from work and 60 per cent of permanent work incapacity in the European Union, costing €240 billion every year in benefits, treatments and lost production.

Call centre and office workers are particularly affected, spending an average of up to 40 hours a week positioned statically in front of a computer or on the phone.

Acute neck and back problems are common in office workers, often resulting from bad telephone habits – such as cradling a handset between the neck and shoulder while multitasking – which could be prevented by taking simple measures, such as using a headset for calls and

using ergonomic chairs and desks to help correct posture.

In 1983, the communications innovator Plantronics created the first call centre headset. It quickly became the headset of choice in call centres worldwide. Almost three decades later, it has evolved with lightweight, ergonomic and wireless technology. Now, working in collaboration with the Anglo-European College of Chiropractic, Plantronics have conducted a study of musculoskeletal pain reduction in headset users.

In just four weeks, half of the participants who suffered neck ache and headaches at the start of the study (54 per cent and 44 per cent respectively) reported that they no longer experienced any pain. Shoulder and upper back

pain was also reduced, with a decrease in the number of days during which they experienced the pain and their pain level. In all, 60 per cent of users found the headsets to be “very useful”.

Wireless headset technology gives people the ability to adopt more posture friendly positions and also reduces the time they spend tethered to their desks: from a psychological standpoint, the freedom to roam while on a call can help make workers feel more active and refreshed, both mentally and physically, reducing stress and enhancing productivity. The ‘free range’ office builds a happier, healthier and more flexible working culture with lower attrition rates.

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research news

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acupuncture

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spring 2012

Acupuncture awareness originating in the Far East, acupuncture is now widely used all over the world.

Acupuncture practice is regulated by law in the UK and practitioners must be members of an approved association.

The largest is the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) with more than 3,000 members who carry out 2.3 million treatments every year. BAcC members are required to be trained in traditional acupuncture and biomedical sciences.

Many research studies have focused on understanding how acupuncture works. In the late 1970s, Professor Bruce Pomeranz of Toronto University demonstrated how acupuncture can stimulate nerves to release natural endorphins and block pain signals.

Since then, acupuncture has also been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects. Clinical research has now proven that traditional acupuncture can safely

treat a wide range of common health problems, including short-term relief of lower back pain.

The BAcC has compiled a factsheet covering this research (http://bitly. com/acuresearch). In fact, the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines on best practices now recommend that GPs offer a course of 10 acupuncture sessions as a first-line treatment for persistent non-specific lower back pain (http://bitly.com/ niceback).

In 1994, the BAcC co-founded the Acupuncture Research Resource Centre (ARRC) with the Foundation for Traditional Chinese Medicine to support and organise acupuncture research, as well as to inform and advise patients, practitioners and the government.

Professor Kate Thomas of Sheffield University conducted a study on the cost of acupuncture to the NHS. The

results showed that, while acupuncture was initially more expensive in the treatment of back pain compared to medication, it was more cost-effective in the long run (http://bitly.com/acucost).

The UK’s first Acupuncture Awareness Week was from February 27-March 4.

With backing from the BAcC, the event sought to dispel the myths surrounding acupuncture and raise awareness of the conditions it can help.

According to the Awareness Week Poll, nearly 60 per cent of people think acupuncture should be made more widely available on the NHS. n For more information, or to find a BAcC-registered practitioner, visit www.acupuncture.org.uk, email info@ acupuncture.org.uk or telephone 020 8735 0400.

Clinical research has now proven that traditional acupuncture can safely treat a wide range of common health problems, including short-term relief of lower back pain

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gadgets

Five of the best back and neck pain gadgets

Four out of five adults in the UK will experience back pain – and there are thousands of products and gadgets to help prevent and alleviate it.

The Back Pain Show 2012, where BackCare was kept very busy with enquiries on back pain prevention, showcased some of the latest innovations.

Here are five products we feel would be a useful addition to your efforts to reduce back and neck pain…

Backstretcher

Lie on the frame covered with moving rollers to relieve back pain through a combination of massage and stretching.

The University of Iowa Spine Centre confirmed that this device is the most effective product of its kind on the market.

Price £98.08 www.back2.co.uk

Fitball exercise ball

The Fitball exercise ball is great for strengthening and toning exercises and comes with an illustrated exercise chart.

Gym quality, the Fitball has been tested to 300kg.

Comes in three different sizes.

Prices start at £14.89 www.dietandfitnessresources.co.uk

Kosmodisk classic spine massager

A ribbed, nylon strip that can be worn over or under clothes, secured over the spine. It is clinically proven to relieve pain in the spine and back area, aid circulation, soothe muscles and reduce tension.

Price £69.95 www.kosmodisk.co.uk

Evoluent Vertical Mouse 3 Inflatable lounge pillow

Usable in three different angles so you can always get comfortable. The vinyl sheet helps keep you clean and dry as well as stopping the wedge from slipping. Ideal for the beach, concert, picnics and music festivals.

Price £11.99 www.backinaction.co.uk

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The Evoluent Vertical Mouse 3 has been designed to use with your hand positioned to avoid the twisting of your forearm, allowing a healthier and safer way of working through the day. It has five buttons which can be programmed to perform a variety of functions for speeding up common tasks with a single click and reducing repetitive movements.

Price £79.95 www.posturite.co.uk

The guide to

The Handling of People 6th edition

preview and order now online at www.HOP6.org “The leading source of evidence-based instruction and guidance” – BackCare “We are again delighted to be involved with the latest edition” – National Back Exchange “We commend this new edition to the nursing and caring professions at all levels” – Royal College of Nursing “We congratulate BackCare on its latest edition” – Chartered Society of Physiotherapy “The series has helped a great deal in raising the profile of safer handling practice” – Health and Safety Executive “A key reference for several professions” – Institute of Ergonomics & Human Factors “An evolution in the handling of people guidance” – College of Occupational Therapists “Essential reading for all those with a responsibility for handling people” – NHS Employers

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Group breeds good research ideas The Society for Back Pain Research celebrated its 40th anniversary last year. The society formed in 1971 to promote academic and clinical study. Its aim is to encourage research into causes, treatments and prevention of back and neck pain.

There are now more than 200 members of the society with representatives from a diverse range of disciplines, including GPs, manual therapists, surgeons, and research scientists. “It’s a bit of breeding ground for new research ideas and really helps to nurture career development in young professionals”, says society president Professor Allison McGregor, and a new young investigators award was presented at last year’s meeting. The 2012 SBPR Conference will be held on the Isle of Man (inset) in November. Professionals wishing to present their work should note the 2 July submission deadline! Prior to that, the society will be taking part in the BritSpine 2012 meeting in Newcastle, 2–4 May.

Isle of Man

BritSpine 2012 …celebrating a great three-way union

The Sage on Gateshead Quays in Newcastle

As mentioned above, the BritSpine 2012 meeting will be taking place at The Sage on Gateshead Quays in Newcastle upon Tyne, 2-4 May. This year’s meeting represents a new union of the Society of Back Pain Research, the British Scoliosis Society and the British Association of Spinal Surgeons. The abstracts deadline expired in January but delegates wishing to attend or exhibit should go to the BritSpine website at www.britspine.org In addition to the research presentations, debates, prizes, AGMs and the BritSpine dinner, there will be a number of keynote lectures during the three-day event: n Imaging Pain, Relief and Mechanism Related to Placebo and Nocebo Effects – Professor Irene Tracey n The BMP Controversy – Professor Eugene Carragee n Embedding STarT Back’s Risk Stratification Approach into Back Pain Services – Jonathan Hill n Recent Advances in the Treatment of Cervical Deformities – Praveen Mummaneni n The Classification and Treatment of Degenerative Scoliosis – Professor Max Aebi

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events

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NBE conference

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spring 2012

Conference peers into the future The National Back Exchange (NBE) is a multi-disciplinary group for those with an interest in back care and prevention of work-related musculoskeletal problems.

The 2012 NBE Conference, “A Brave New World – Formulating for the Future”,

will take place from September 24-26 at the Hinckley Island Hotel, Leicestershire.

The NBE has worked closely with BackCare on the production of The Handling of People series, now in its sixth edition (www.hop6.org), which leads the field in manual handling.

It also addressed the needs of paediatric specialists in a variety of community settings with its own definitive guide, Manual Handling of Children. This looks at common health issues affecting children and young people, providing detailed handling information using a variety of assessment tools, with easy solutions to complex handling examples.

BackCare local branch updates Salisbury Branch

We offer hydrotherapy led by qualified physiotherapists at the spinal pool at Salisbury District Hospital on two evenings each week – on Monday and Thursday from 6pm to 6.45pm.

We charge £5 a session.

We have committee meetings three/four times a year and this year our AGM will be held at St George’s Hall in Harnham on Monday, April 16. Each year we organise a Christmas lunch for members.

Salisbury Branch Chairman, Caroline Curtis Secretary, Barbara Basche

Lothian Branch

Lothian is the only branch of BackCare in Scotland. It is based in Edinburgh, currently has 68 members and is run by a committee of volunteers.

We arrange warm water exercise sessions in a hydrotherapy pool with a lifeguard and physiotherapist

in attendance. These sessions are available twice a week throughout the year. There is also a swimming club held in a full-sized warm water pool, giving the opportunity to swim as well as to do exercises. There is a lifeguard present. This runs once a week during school term.

Our main fundraiser is held annually to support BackCare Awareness Week and this allows us to send a donation to headquarters. We publish a local newsletter four times a year and arrange occasional social events. At our AGM in March we welcomed a speaker to talk about the Bowen Technique.

Meanwhile, we are raising funds to support Hanna Gottschling who is running in the London Marathon on April 22 to support BackCare. She is the runner allocated to our branch and we wish her well for this, her first marathon.

We hope it will not be her last. Good Luck Hanna!

Lothian Branch Secretary, Jean Houston, tel: 0131 441 3611, email: jean.houston@blueyonder.co.uk

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BackCare has teamed up with Meetup to bring you a new way to connect.

Each branch will now get its own Local Support Group page online to organise and publicise its activities. New members will be able to find or create a local group more easily. Newer groups can get tips and inspiration by seeing all the great activities and events that existing branches have been organising.

Back pain sufferers can organise meet ups to share support, health professionals can meet to collaborate, and fundraisers can organise events to support the charity’s work – all under one “roof”.

The new group pages have already attracted some new faces. The first was Liz in Cambridge, who said: “I am so happy to see this group. I just had artificial disc replacement in December and I’m all about taking care of my back. I’d love to meet up with those with similar problems so we can exchange information and advice!”

Ten of the existing branches now have their own group page online.

Berkshire: Reading www.meetup.com/BackCare-Reading/ Cambridgeshire: Cambridge www.meetup.com/BackCare-Cambridge-Group/ Dorset: Poole & Bournemouth www.meetup.com/BackCare-Poole-Bournemouth-Group/ East Yorkshire: Hull & East Riding www.meetup.com/BackCare-Hull-East-Riding/ Essex: Chelmsford www.meetup.com/BackCare-Chelmsford-Group/ Hampshire: Southampton www.meetup.com/BackCare-Southampton-Group/ Lancashire: Fylde www.meetup.com/BackCare-Fylde-Group/ Lothian: Edinburgh www.meetup.com/BackCare-Lothian-Group/ West Glamorgan: Swansea www.meetup.com/BackCare-Swansea-Group/ Wiltshire: Salisbury www.meetup.com/BackCare-Salisbury-Group/

local groups

BackCare local branches go online

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Start your own group Want to start a new local support group?

If there’s no local group near you, we can create one. It’s easy, just email the team at groups@ backcare.org.uk to make a request and we’ll try our best to help.

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spring 2012

london marathon

More than 30,000 runners will be taking part in the London Marathon this month, among them runners for BackCare…

Glenn Winslade, 28, chiropractor based in Nottingham, will be running for BackCare in the 2012 London Marathon

On the run

These are the runners in the London Marathon representing BackCare. If you wish to sponsor one, please go to www.virgin giving.com/nameofrunner Brad Burt Paul Coffey Lorraine Collins Simon Delaney Carin Dutton John Ellis Sarah Giles Brian Hammond Sally Hopkin Sarah Jane Houston Paul Mitterhuber Andrew McKeown Anne Sigel Anthony Ramsden Steve Smith Glenn Winslade Charlie Wood Eoin Carroll Paul Richardson Fiona Drew Des Supple Ed Tynan Natalie Wofford Daniel Hammond Nick Clarke Hanna Gottschling Sam Harding Miles Green Stuart Valentine

Capital fund-raising The London Marathon, the largest fundraising event in the world, gets under way later this month. More than 30,000 runners will start from Greenwich Park and Black Heath, completing the 26.2 mile race at The Mall in central London.

BackCare achieved more than £18,000 in fundraising from the 2011 London Marathon but, with the support of 29 runners representing BackCare on April 22, it hopes to achieve a record-breaking £50,000.

Carin Dutton from Teddington, Middlesex, who has already hit her £1,500 target, said: “The first 20-mile training run is under my belt and the prospect of the marathon is not so daunting any more, I know it will be

done on the day!”

Natalie Wofford from Gloucester, who is making good progress in her fundraising activities, shared the routine of her training with BackCare.

“I try to run four times a week, where work commitments allow. It normally means early mornings or late nights, but I enjoy having the roads to myself and have become used to that knowing look or nod when you pass another runner.”

If you are keen to support BackCare, please visit us at virgingiving.com/name of runner and make your donation today and support BackCare to continue with its important work to prevent back and neck pain. Alternatively, please call us so we can send you further details of the BackCare runners.

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It doesn’t have to be Calendar back-breaking work of events in the construction industry

April 17 Back pain educational event in Leeds for GPs and healthcare April 22 London Marathon – Blackheath to the Mall

BackCare Awareness Week October 8-12 Back Pain in the construction industry The theme of our next awareness week is back pain within the construction industry. We will be focusing on the perils of working in this industry where heavy lifting is a daily routine which has serious consequences to backs if techniques are not used to prevent permanent damage.

We will be producing a BCAW information pack for the building industry and organising key events to support this sector.

If you would like to get involved through your local branch, please go to our meetupboard.com. If you would like to contribute in the form of fundraising and PR activities, please telephone us at BackCare 020 8977 5474 or watch out for latest updates on our new-look BackCare website www.backcare.org.uk

May 13-17 RCN Congress and Exhibition, Harrogate September 24-26 NBE Brave New World Conference, Hinckley, Leicester October 1-5 Safer Moving of People, San Diego, CA October 8-12 BackCare Awareness Week To find out further information about these events please visit www.backcare.org.uk/events

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European alliance

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donations

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spring 2012

Is there a place for us in your will?

When it comes to your will, it’s only right that your family and friends come first, but that doesn’t mean you can’t also leave a gift to a cause close to your heart.

Gifts in wills help fund more than a third of our services – we couldn’t do what we do without the generosity of your donations and legacies. A gift in your will can make a vital difference to someone living with back pain.

BackCare is working hard to assist everyone with back pain, to provide support, to undertake research, to produce information resources and to campaign for better back health. That’s why we are asking for your help.

Leaving a gift in your will to BackCare is a relatively simple act that can make a big difference. Generous gifts from legacies have really

Allocation of legacies £5,000 £1,000

£500 £200

£100

£50

– funds valuable research – contributes towards developing a robust awareness week campaign – trains a new helpline volunteer – contributes towards running the helpline for a month – enables BackCare to attend a medical or governmental conference in central London – creates a new local support group

helped BackCare continue to help people in pain.

Writing or changing your will is something people often put off. A recent report commissioned by Remember a Charity revealed that 29 per cent of people with a will admitted it was out of date and intended to change it. And with the amount left in wills now averaging £160,000, up to £1.1 trillion could fail to reach the intended recipients.

Everyone should have an up-to-date will. It’s your chance to make sure you look after everything you care about. Please consider leaving a gift to BackCare so that we can carry on helping people affected by back pain. n For more information, call the BackCare office on 020 8977 5474 to receive our legacy pack or find out more on our website www.backcare.org.uk

In appreciation of…

Thanks go to the following who have kindly donated or left legacies to BackCare. n John Ellerman Foundation n GM Morrison Foundation n Lothian Branch n Chelmsford Branch n Swansea Branch n The MacDonald-Buchanan Charitable Settlement n The Cecil Rosen Foundation n Mr A H Lewis n Hannah Bloom Charitable Trust

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Publications and products These and many other items are available through the BackCare online shop, www.backcaretrading.org.uk

KOSMODISK ACTIVE Sports Belt Price: £89.94

Freespine Fitness Machine Price: £712.80

Senior Active Backpack – Black Price: £29.99

7 Steps to Ease Back Pain

by Yinka Thomas MSc RNutr Price: £7.99

A Sex God’s/Goddess’s Guide for people with back pain Price: £9.99

Cascada Maxiwell, massage cushion Price: £209

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e t a or p or c ’s re a kC c Ba

Press, Human Frameworks n Other supporters of BackCare are Hammersmith

Ltd, Sasaki, SHC and The London MRI centre.

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Products to help you every day

BackCare A corporate partnership with ers your demonstrates to your custom e quality of commitment to improving th rers across life of back and neck pain suffe the UK. Join us today by visiting atepartners www.backcare.org.uk/corpor

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Classifieds BACK TO SPORT OSTEOPATHY Back Pain – Neck Pain – Sports Injuries 07962 380 555 (London, TW5) www.backtosport.com

ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE A Revolutionary Approach To The Alexander Technique 07791 785 850 / 0117 966 4797 www.alexandertechnique-itm.org

Advertise in Talkback Talkback is a 24-30 page quarterly magazine, with a printed readership of 8,000 (digital 30-40,000). £1,200 Outside Back Cover £1,100 Inside Front Cover £995 Inside Back Cover £995 Full Page £500 Half Page £300 Quarter Page

£750 Advertorial £950 8-Page Supplement Insert £250 Bound Inserts £150 Loose Inserts £95 Small Box Advert £20 Classified Advert

For further information please email advertising@backcare.org.uk or telephone 020 8977 5474

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BREATHWORKS

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The College Of Chiropractors l l l l l l l l l l l

Professional membership Postgraduate training Continuing Professional Development Clinical specialist faculties Quality standards Clinical audit tools Safety incident reporting and learning Patient-recorded outcome and satisfaction measurement Research promotion and funding Patient Partnership and Clinical Management Quality Awards Intra- and inter-professional collaboration

The College of Chiropractors is the national membership college for the chiropractic profession. It complements the professional associations and the General Chiropractic Council by fostering and supporting the development of professional excellence in the interests of practitioners and patients.

0118 946 9727 admin@colchiro.org.uk www.colchiro.org.uk