18 TALKBACK WORKPLACE
Technology and sedentary lifestyles
MORE than 70% of chiropractors have treated patients with injuries linked to sedentary lifestyle habits, such as screen time (78%), commuting (88%) and sitting for too long (93%). Technology has been found to have the biggest growing impact on people’s back health, according to a recent survey by the British Chiropractic Association (BCA). Similar numbers (68%) of chiropractors have seen an increase in children with issues linked to screen time, in the last five years in particular. In a very extreme case, one BCA chiropractor reported that a child as young as four had complained to their parents of back pain, linked to using a tablet device for hours each day.
TALKBACK l WINTER 2019
Easy changes to everyday life can make a significant difference Lower back pain was revealed to be the most common complaint chiropractors treat among all their patients, as a growing number of people replace regular exercise with sedentary habits. This fits with statistics across the world which suggest that low back pain causes more global disability than any other condition. Catherine Quinn, president of the BCA, said: “Almost everyone will have low back pain at some point in their lives. It can affect anyone at any age, and it is increasing – disability due to
back pain has risen by more than 50% since 1990 so it’s no coincidence that our findings echo similar reports from other researchers and organisations in the chiropractic profession. “Our members are seeing more and more cases of back and neck pain among a much younger age group, which is a sign of how our lifestyles are changing. Back and neck pain can develop at any age and is usually not serious. However, many of us are spending more time being sedentary, whether sat at a desk, watching TV or
using tablets in the evening. Research shows us that this lack of physical activity is a major risk factor for lots of health concerns, including back pain, and that intensified efforts and initiatives are needed to address the burden of low back pain as a public health problem.” The BCA’s findings follow on from a recent report by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, which revealed that fewer than 10% of British teenagers meet the recommended guidelines for sleep, exercise and screen time. In addition, it found that more than three-quarters of teenagers spent more than the recommended two hours a day interacting with screens. One respondent to the BCA’s
