TalkBack Summer 2012

TalkBack £2.95 FREE TO MEMBERS l

Olympic dream An athlete’s story

n BACK HEALTH n BACK PRODUCTS n BACK CARE SUMMER 2012

School bag campaign Holiday back care Pioneering pain relief Builders’ backs

THE CHARITY FOR HEALTHIER BACKS www.backcare.org.uk

This version of the wordmark can only be used at this size. It has a larger registration mark than the other size wordmarks.

Please use one of the other sizes if you need a larger version.

Take one to relieve backache, neck pain and headaches Introducing headsets from Plantronics – taking the pain out of using the phone If you constantly have your ear glued to your phone at work, you’d be far better off with a headset. Using a wired or cordless headset means that you can work without crunching up your shoulder and tilting your head, improving your posture and your health. Tests have shown that they can reduce back pain, headaches and neck pain by as much as 31%*.

At Plantronics, we’ve spent over 50 years designing and refining headsets.

With the combination of stunning design, perfect sound quality, comfort and durability, it’s no wonder that more and more people worldwide feel happier talking with our headsets.

And right now, you can try one for free.

Call us on 01793 842 426 and quote ‘health business’ or visit www.plantronics.com/uk/product/cs500 before 30.09.2012 for your free trial. *Research from the University of Surrey.

©2012 Plantronics Inc. All rights reserved.

Welcome

Contents

We’ve got a lot of exciting news to share with you in this special Olympic edition. Firstly, let me congratulate the runners and supporters of the BackCare London marathon team who did tremendously well. I won’t spoil the surprise so you’ll have to turn to the fundraising page to see the results!

Our campaign against excessively heavy school

Your Letters

6

Researcher Spotlight

8

Pain in Europe

10

BackCare in the News

11

Going for Gold

12

Branches Update

14

Meet the Professional

15

Holiday Back Ache

17

BackCare Report

18

Marathon 2012

22

bags reached new heights with a recent flurry of media coverage that was picked up by news networks as far as Spain and New Zealand. Preparations are well underway for BackCare Awareness Week 2012, when we’ll be launching our new campaign on back pain in the construction industry. You can read our special report in this issue.

Now, if you’ve already enjoyed a summer holiday this year, I hope you managed to avoid the stresses and strains of travel and are feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. If you’re yet to fly away, we bring you the brief guide to back care on holiday.

We’re running a new series of pieces focussing on key figures in the world of back care, starting with a fascinating account from BackCare Professional member, Georgie Oldfield who describes her personal journey from conventional practitioner to groundbreaking trailblazer. We’re also very pleased to bring back the reader’s letter page where you get to have your say. If you have an inspirational story to share, please email it in to yourstory@backcare. org.uk or pop it in an envelope and post to the usual address.

Lastly, and with great sadness, we report the passing away of Iris Newby last November. Iris was the Membership Secretary of the BackCare Harrogate Branch, and one of their longest serving and most active committee members.

She will be missed by all who knew her, and we would like to dedicate this edition of TalkBack to Iris.

Dr Adam Al-Kashi Head of Research & Editor of TalkBack

We welcome articles from readers, but reserve the right to edit submissions.

Paid advertisements do not necessarily reflect the views of BackCare. Products and services advertised in TalkBack may not be recommended by BackCare. Please make your own judgement about whether a product or service can help you. Where appropriate consult your doctor. Any complaints about advertisements should be sent to the Head of Information and Research.

All information in the magazine was believed to be correct at the time of going to press. BackCare cannot be responsible for errors or omissions. No part of this printed 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

BackCare 16 Elmtree Road, Teddington, Middlesex TW11 8ST Tel: +44 (0)20 8977 5474 Fax: +44 (0)20 8943 53318 Helpline: +44 (0)845 130 2704 Email: info@backcare.org.uk Website: www.BackCare.org.uk Twitter: @TherealBackCare Registered as the National Back Pain Association charity number 256751 Talkback is designed by Nicki Raffo and printed by Jamm Print Ltd

TALKBACK SUMMER 2012

4 TALKBACK NEWS

An initiative by the US National Physicians Alliance has highlighted the negative impact of imaging for lower back pain. The top-5 recommendations for ‘Promoting Good Stewardship in Clinical Practice’ included, ‘don’t do imaging for lower back pain within the first 6 weeks unless there are severe or

TALKBACK | SUMMER 2012

progressive neurological deficits or when serious underlying conditions, such as osteomyelitis, are suspected’.

A review for the Archives of Internal Medicine last month noted that studies of clinical outcomes have demonstrated no significant differences in pain or function between those who received immediate lumbar spine imaging versus usual care.

The review also showed that early imaging for low back pain caused harm, including irradiation exposure, unnecessary surgery, patient ‘labelling’, wasted follow-up tests for incidental findings and significant costs.

The review authors concluded that routine imaging should not be done for acute low back pain, and that by not imaging these patients, harm and cost would be reduced without affecting clinical outcomes.

SHOULD WE ABANDON CERVICAL SPINE MANIPULATION? Hot debate ensued in the British Medical Journal last month as Neil O’Connell and colleagues from Brunel University went head-to-head with Professor David Cassidy of Toronto University.

Cervical spine manipulation is used by chiropractors and osteopaths and involves several sudden manoeuvres of the upper spine to alleviate pain.

Neil O’Connell cited a selection of trials to argue that cervical spine manipulation offers no unique benefit and that injuries to the vertebral arteries can lead to serious neurovascular complications such as stroke. In rebuttal, Professor Cassidy contended that neck pain sufferers clearly benefit from cervical manipulation. He raised doubts about any direct causal relationship between manipulation and stroke. The British Chiropractic Association added that chiropractors are highly trained in spinal care and that ‘cherry-picking’ of research data would needlessly raise alarm.

PHOTOGRAPHY: SHUTTERSTOCK

Less is more for lower back pain

TALKBACK NEWS 5

Back pain in ageing construction workers Around 40 per cent of construction workers over the age of 50 suffer from persistent back pain, according to a new study published in the International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health.

Researchers gathered 16 years of health and retirement survey results to learn more about the factors affecting aging construction workers. The odds of suffering chronic back problems were increased significantly in jobs involving a great deal of stress and physical effort.

The burden is cumulative and a longer

time in the job increased the risk of back problems by 32 per cent.

There was also a strong correlation between back pain and poor physical and mental health.

Prevention is better than cure; lowering stress levels and improving mental and physical health in younger workers could have an enormous impact on tomorrow’s ageing workforce.

PHOTOGRAPHY: SHUTTERSTOCK

SPANISH REPORT CONFIRMS RISK OF HEAVY SCHOOL BAGS The impact of heavy school bags really is a global issue. A new study has just been published by researchers in Galicia, Northwest Spain, which corroborates the risk identified by BackCare’s own UK study. More than 1,400 children aged 12-17 years from Galician schools were assessed. Almost two thirds carried school bags exceeding 10 per cent of their bodyweight, the limit recommended by BackCare. Those carrying the heaviest bags had a 50 per cent greater risk of back pain. The risks were also higher in girls. The authors recommend preventive and educational activities.

Depression and chronic pain Depression is commonly associated with chronic pain. Now researchers from Yamaguchi University, Japan have discovered a link between depressive chronic pain and a brain hormone called ‘brainderived neurotrophic factor’ (BDNF). Boosting BDNF levels in the laboratory created an analgesic and anti-depressant effect. Professor Ishikawa and colleagues conclude that enhancing BDNF levels in real life could become a new strategy for people suffering from chronic pain associated with depression.

BACKCARE SUPPORTERS BEAR OLYMPIC TORCH 1980 Olympic Gold medallist, Allan Wells (pictured above), had the honour of carrying the torch through Selkirk on the Scottish borders, near his hometown of Edinburgh in June. Allan has long supported BackCare and we’re very grateful for all his help.

We’re also proud to report that BackCare member, Steve Ireland, was selected to take part in the Olympic Torch relay in July. Steve was among the 23 runners who carried the torch through the London Borough of Sutton. No stranger to large team events, Steve, 40, captained sixty runners in a 40km endurance race for charity in 2010, and competed again last year. Congratulations Steve!

TALKBACK | SUMMER 2012

6 YOUR LETTERS

‘

Being

style-conscious comes at a serious price Dear BackCare I am writing to you after reading an article in the Daily Mail on how so many children are seriously damaging their backs by overfilling their school bags. I was reassured that your charity is trying to help tackle this problem.

I am an A-level Product Design student and, as my main project, I have been collecting and conducting research and developing a schoolbag which is ergonomic and suitable for young adults prone to over-loading their bags. I have found that many girls, particularly between 14 and 18 years, wear bags designed for fashion rather than practicality, but being styleconscious comes at a serious price. The shoulder bag is very popular with teenagers but leads to shoulder imbalance, resulting in neck and shoulder strain. My research suggests that girls of this age range often prefer to buy a cheaper bag which is fashionable but poorly made. Unfortunately this is precisely the age at which students study eleven or more subjects at GCSE, each contributing to the burden of heavy folders and textbooks.

As an occasional sufferer of back pain myself, I have been trying to address this problem among my peers in several ways and I attach details of some of my ideas.

My aim is to create a school bag which is primarily ergonomic, in that it is designed to provide optimum comfort, whilst at the same time discouraging teens from carrying too much weight on their shoulders. This, as you will be well aware, is a challenging task owing in part to the nature of the target age range with their different tastes in styles, colours and fabrics.

’

I chose ideas which would restrict the contents to the size of three A4 books so that the user could only carry those items necessary for the day ahead. The design I finally selected was the one which I felt could most readily be produced and which addressed most directly the main design challenge: how to guard against 14-18 year old girls over-filling their bags.

The use of translucent sides means that students are more aware of how much is being carried at any one time, and at what point the bag is being over-filled.

My research suggested that it’s probably impossible to create a shoulder bag in a manner that can spread the load evenly over the wearer’s back. I therefore chose to keep to the backpack concept as a means of providing most comfort.

I paid particular attention to the form and structure of the supporting frame, employing lightweight yet robust materials, mindful of the shape of a girl’s still-forming back, shoulders and spine. The challenge lay in creating a bag of this style that appeals to girls of the target age range; such bags are often seen by them as being excessively bulky and masculine.

My final design selection is minimal and yet, it would seem, aesthetically pleasing to my target. Please find attached some photographs of the finished bag.

Yours sincerely, Alice Walsh Simon Langton Girls Grammar School, Canterbury l Alice is hoping to read Product

Design at Brunel University where she has been offered a Scholarship.

DO YOU HAVE AN INSPIRATIONAL STORY THAT YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE? Whatever your circumstances, if you have a story that will inspire and benefit others then we’d love to hear from you! Please email your story to yourstory@backcare.org.uk, or alternatively you can post it to: BackCare, 16 Elmtree Road, Teddington, Middlesex TW11 8ST.

TALKBACK | SUMMER 2012

YOUR LETTERS 7

Detailed drawings of Alice’s initial designs

Photos of different prototypes showing the materials used in the designs

TALKBACK | SUMMER 2012

8 RESEARCH

RESEARCHER SPOTLIGHT

Professor Rowland G. Hazard, MD Graduating from Vermont Medical School in 1978, Rowland Hazard went on to train and specialise in New York and Texas

P

rofessor Hazard is a well-published academic, with more than 20 papers archived by the US National Library of Medicine1. In 2000 the US National Institute of Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) funded Professor Hazard to research ‘Continuous Passive Lumbar Spinal Motion’ (CPLSM). This is where the intervertebral discs are compressed by

the weight of the upper body, which is made worse through prolonged periods of sitting still. Consequently, it’s unsurprising that lower back pain is common among motor vehicle drivers and passengers.

Using a novel lumbar support air bladder system that continually inflates and deflates to change the curvature of the lumbar spine, Professor Hazard demonstrated a reduction in lower back discomfort, stiffness and fatigue in drivers with or without clinical back problems.

In addition to pain reduction, the study also used electroencephalogram (EEG) equipment to look at brain activity. Using EEG and questionnaires, they found that alertness was enhanced by the CPLSM concept. This is notable since a proportion of serious road traffic accidents are caused by tired drivers falling asleep at the wheel.

As Professor Hazard reports, the CPLSM

concept has gone from laboratory to real world most dramatically in aircraft. Now called the ‘BackCycler’, the technology has been incorporated into 10,000 seats aboard planes in the United Airlines fleet.

Chronic low-back and neck pain constitute a global health crisis. In America alone more than 6 million people are disabled through back and neck pain. Half of these are permanently disabled. The cost in the US is thought to exceed $50 billion every year (£32 billion). In 2007, Professor Hazard published a review in the American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, entitled ‘Low-Back and Neck Pain Diagnosis and Treatment’, delving deeply into the distinctions between treatment and resolution.

‘The primary health care mission in the prevailing biomedical paradigm of back

Professor Hazard is currently Director of the Functional Restoration Programme at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Centre in New Hampshire, USA. We caught up with him this month to discuss his journey and philosophy as a medical practitioner BackCare: Why did you choose to specialise in spinal medicine?

Prof Hazard: After finishing my residency in Internal Medicine, my first job was in a university-based adult medicine clinic. I was immediately confronted with patients who not only had back pain, but were disabled by it. What to do? I studied hard, took courses, learned manual and injection techniques and soon I was very, very busy. Then I did an orthopaedic fellowship with Tom Mayer and Vert Mooney in Dallas and learned how multidisciplinary teams in functional restoration programs could help people with pain to not be so disabled. That has been my career quest ever since.

BackCare: What have been the biggest misconceptions regarding back pain that you’ve had to battle in your career?

Prof Hazard: The biggest misconception,

for both patients and doctors, is that you have to have a firm anatomic diagnosis before you can be helped – this is not true.

BackCare: Do you think the burden of back pain on society and economy is underestimated?

Prof Hazard: The societal burden of back pain is very hard to measure.

However, it is small compared to the personal and societal burdens of associated disability. It is the inability to work, play and perform daily activities that really costs us all: financially and in many other ways.

BackCare: What is your philosophy as a medical practitioner?

Prof Hazard: My general philosophy leads me to listen carefully to what the patient really cares about, fears, believes, wants and needs: in short,

what are the patient’s goals? Then the diagnostic and treatment efforts are all geared toward getting the patient what he/she wants.

BackCare: In an ideal world, what would back and neck healthcare look like?

Prof Hazard: One of my early disappointments was the poor rehabilitation outcomes in terms of sitting intolerance due to back pain.

This frustration turned me from the sitter to the seat and the invention of continuous passive lumbar motion. By constantly changing the person’s lumbar posture with a lumbar support bladder inflated and deflated cyclically, we were able to prevent the static loading that aggravates many people’s back pain.

RESEARCH 9

and neck pain is to find the offending tissue or mechanism and fix it. This is also a key expectation of people with back and neck pain seeking medical care, as consistently reported to me in group interviews with thousands of patients suffering chronic spinal pain.’

However, the biomedical approach of diagnosis and treatment has arguably proven ill-founded. We now have ample evidence that signs of spinal degeneration identified by MRI are common in people with or without pain2. Professor Hazard concurs, ‘Many disc herniations do not cause pain, and those that do often resolve without specific intervention. More than a quarter of pain-free adults have a herniated disc. In fact, most people with back and neck pain have no clear anatomic diagnosis beyond the presence of age-related degenerative changes in the intervertebral discs and facets commonly seen in people without symptoms.’

Beyond the biomedical approach, we have the ‘biopsychosocial’ models that

There is growing interest in the meaning each individual develops for pain and how this meaning determines disability acknowledge that, ‘The progression to pain, impairment and disability depends heavily on the individual’s personal attitudes, beliefs, and motivation, as well as on surrounding social, economic and cultural influences.

‘So far, biopsychosocial models have had limited effect on clinical practice or social compensation policies relating to back pain and disability. However, they have inspired a new research initiative: the search for personal characteristics that predict disability. Unfortunately, the variables tend to be generic (job satisfaction, distress, physical exposures,

disability exaggeration, self-concept) or demographic (age, gender) and do not inform intervention. Beyond this search for personal characteristics that might predict disability, there is growing interest in the meaning (thoughts, beliefs and attitudes) each individual develops for pain and how this meaning determines disability.’

Indeed, the relationship between thought patterns and chronic pain has been the subject of BackCare-funded research in the past. Doctor Nicole Tang and colleagues at Keele University published a study which demonstrated that ‘rumination’ – a type of repetitive thinking process in which people focus negatively on their distress and symptoms – is commonly found in people with chronic pain3.

References 1. http://1.usa.gov/rghazard 2. http://bit.ly/mriback 3. TalkBack, p7, Spring 2012

10 SOCIETIES AND MEETINGS

Pain Alliance Europe Pain Alliance Europe (PAE) was launched in the European parliament in November 2011 as an umbrella organisation of national associations that represent chronic pain sufferers across Europe.

PAE President, Joop van Griensven, is keen to see better understanding and management of chronic pain in Europe. He said, ‘One of the main objectives is to raise awareness across Europe for the chronic pain sufferers with politicians, healthcare providers, scientists and policymakers.’

Chronic pain destroys lives, and there are an estimated 100 million sufferers in Europe, so BackCare is proud to be a member of PAE and hopes to see PAE become an accepted voice in the evolution of chronic pain management.

It is only by challenging the way we currently understand and deal with chronic pain – personally, socially and governmentally – that the vision can become a reality.

Societal Impact of Pain Last year, representatives from chronic pain patient associations across Europe gathered in Brussels for the 2nd International Symposium on the Societal Impact of Pain. The two-day event was backed by members of the European Parliament and resulted in the launch of the ‘SIP - Road Map for Action’ initiative, a framework for change at national and EU level, that aims to: l Make pain a top priority of national health care systems. l Make information available to ‘activate’ patients, their families and care-givers. l Raise awareness of the medical, financial and social impact of pain. l Educate healthcare professionals on the importance of pain prevention, diagnosis

and management. l Prioritise research on how chronic pain impacts health, society and employment. l Establish an EU platform for exchange, comparison and benchmarking of best practise between member states. l Use the EU platform to monitor outcomes and establish guidelines to improve the lives of European Citizens.

The 3rd International Symposium on the Societal Impact of Pain (SIP 2012) took place in Copenhagen, 29 -31 May. Our Executive Chairman, Dr Brian Hammond, was there to represent BackCare and participate in the discussions. We now aim to move forward and contribute towards the fulfilment of the ‘SIP – Road Map for Action’ vision by submitting some of our own initiatives to the EU platform.

BACKCARE IN THE NEWS 11

School Bag Campaign Children’s back health is a hot topic and our school bag campaign is really gathering pace with several recent stories in the news. The Daily Mail published a full page article on 15 May and BackCare trustee Lorna Taylor was invited to speak on BBC Newsround about the issue.

Lorna was also interviewed live on the iTalk FM radio channel which broadcasts in Spain. The story circulated around the world, being picked up as far away as New Zealand on the online news channel, Top News.

You can help BackCare by taking part in our School Bag survey. Visit www.schoolbag2012.com to find out more. We’re looking for 11-18 year olds to tell us about what they carry to school.

active backpack

KEEPING UP WITH BACKCARE Have you visited the BackCare website recently?

You can listen to and watch the School bag interviews at www. backcare.org.uk. Just follow the link to the News blog section. BackCare has also been increasing its following on Twitter.

Follow @TherealBackCare to keep up with what’s going on for the charity and for general news about back pain issues. You can also ‘Like’ our Facebook page to hear more about BackCare.

Search for ‘BackCareCharity’.

NEW

IN STOCK NOW

ergonomic carrying straps

Side bracing straps pull load closer to the body

Men’s health satisfaction A quarter of those with back pain are dissatisfied with their health, according to a report in the Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine. The Austrian survey revealed ‘satisfaction with sex life’ is amongst the top three factors that determine men’s individual health. In June, The Sun newspaper’s agony aunt column, ‘Dear Deidre’ printed a letter from a distressed young man, 27, who was experiencing problems with his intimate life due to back pain incurred after an accident. He was advised to consult his doctor and speak with BackCare.

However, we haven’t heard from him yet.

PaTenTed curved underside that helps to spread the load

We’ve got your back covered

mically designed With its many ergono is the only bag features, this backpack officially endorsed by

Maximum weight information and carrying advice printed internally

Lightweight profiled back panel for improved ventilation

For every bag sold a donation is made to the charity researchi ng children’s back hea lth

Manufactured and distributed under licence by The Charity for Healthier Backs www.backcare.org.uk

TALKBACK | SUMMER 2012

Reaching new

HEIGHTS TALKBACK | SUMMER 2012

PHOTOGRAPHY: WAUGHPHOTOS.COM

12 INTERVIEW

INTERVIEW 13

Earlier in the summer, we met up with Olympic High Jump hopeful Matt Roberts, when he visited a school in St Albans through Team Super Schools, a charity that inspires school children to take up sports

M

att Roberts is someone to look up to. Literally. At six foot six, he has the natural build for a highjumper. Surprisingly, he’s also a trained sculptor and his vision is the pursuit of the impossible. That vision is driving him towards potential Olympic glory. He needs to improve his personal best by 2cm to get through the Olympic Trials in Birmingham on June 24. His philosophy is ‘train like a professional, perform like a professional’, and with that approach he is sure to feature on our TV screens with medals round his neck one day.

Mixing sport with art

Matt first found his love for the high jump at school. But it was at 19 when he met a coach who helped him improve his personal best by 10cm to 2.05m in two weeks that he realised there was something to really work towards.

He then studied fine arts sculpture at Wimbledon School of Art and walked away with a first class degree in 2007. He is preoccupied ‘with physicality and the environment we occupy’ and he seeks to create a spectacle through his art, challenging preconceptions of what we see. Some of this rubs off in his highjumping. He wants to push himself to the limit, to vigorously pursue the impossible.

How does he do this? Talking to Matt, you realise how big a part science has in 21st century sport. His training schedule is a well-oiled machine, acknowledging how the body works, and what it needs to reach peak performance from a muscular, neurological and mental perspective. He works hard mixing circuit training, weight lifting, hopping exercises, drills, and actual high jumping. The winter is the heaviest season, with five days training, and double sessions on three days. Before competitions, he trains less, making sure he is fresh enough to compete.

‘If I hadn’t become an athlete, I might have been a failed rock star!’

GOING FOR GOLD The Olympics were the reason that Matt first took up sport. He recalls the Barcelona Games in 1992. The music, the images of British athletes like Linford Christie gaining Gold in 100m, and the inspiration of athletes from around the world pursuing the impossible motivated Matt to succeed. Now, with London 2012 in his sights he is confident that he can push himself and jump his highest jump. He has jumped the highest ever in the UK not to represent his country, so he hopes his time will soon come. But if he wasn’t an athlete, what would he be? A failed rock star, or perhaps his fall-back option, an artist, where he could continue the pursuit of the impossible.

Matt’s experience of back pain

So, what does Matt think about back and neck pain? He believes that we’re only as strong as our weakest point. For Matt’s back health, it is all about training his abdomen. If his abdominal muscles are strong, his back won’t over-compensate, putting strain on the many joints and muscles.

In fact, he’s no stranger to pain. In February 2011 he landed badly on his head during training and hurt his neck. At the time, he was advised it was a bruised Facet Joint, but after a month of training and pain in California, he was diagnosed with a ruptured disc in his neck. In fact, the injury had happened two years earlier, which had caused a bone spur to grow

between his C5-C6 vertebrae, and it was this bone spur that was pressing on his nerves, aggravated by the bad landing.

One specialist wanted to fuse the joint, but he opted for a disc replacement.

This has been successful, as he now has better range of movement than before.

The injury set him back six months in training, but his positive mental attitude is buoying him forwards. l Matt competed in the Aviva 2012 Trials

in Birmingham on 24 June. Unfortunately he was unsuccessful in his attempt to gain a place on Team GB. However, with his determination he won’t stop until he is jumping with the country’s leading athletes. You can follow his story by visiting matthewmarkroberts.com

TALKBACK | SUMMER 2012

14 BRANCHES UPDATE

Swansea Branch

Harrogate Branch

BRANCH NEWS

BRANCH NEWS

BackCare Executive Chairman, Dr Brian Hammond was pleased to attend the 20th Anniversary celebrations in June. He was presented with a donation for £500 by the branch which has pledged to match the donation later in the year. Further congratulations are in order, particularly to Branch Treasurer, Professor Tony Davies for his embrace of the Meetup initiative launched in the last TalkBack issue. With its busy events calendar, the Swansea Meetup webpage has attracted four new members.

Congratulations for raising £100 in sponsorship of Eoin Carroll who ran in BackCare’s London Marathon 2012 team.

It is however with great sadness that we report the passing of Membership Secretary Iris Newby on 20 November 2011 – she was tireless in her efforts and will be missed by all who knew her.

REGULAR ACTIVITIES Hydrotherapy –Alternate Mondays 12:00pm, £7 per session. Keith Tippey, 01423 865946.

Celebrating 20 years FAR LEFT: Founder member, Sheila Jones cuts the cake LEFT: BackCare Executive Chairman, Dr Brian Hammond (left) with Branch President, Gary Coates

REGULAR ACTIVITIES Monthly Meetings – Back care and general topics, with gentle exercise led by physiotherapist President. Fourth Tuesday of the month, February to October.

Hydrotherapy – Short waiting list in operation due to popularity. Tuesday and Thursday afternoons; £25 per month.

Social Events – July Walk and lunch; Winter Social.

Gloria Morgan, 01792 208290

Walking Group – Quarterly for members, and weekly with Age UK. Olive Harrison, 01423 885641.

Luncheon Group – Monthly pub lunch and a chat. Ann Cornelius, 01423 500661.

Monthly Meetings – First Tuesday of most months: invited speakers, open to all. July and November: ‘A to Z’ evenings, self-management and share experiences, members only. Fiona Maxwell, 01423 323381 Christmas Lunch Party – Members and guests; menu and price to be confirmed. Ascot House Hotel, Saturday 8 December.

BRANCH DIRECTORY

HULL & EAST RIDING Valerie Crook 01482 844505

SALISBURY Barbara White 01722 333925

WINCHESTER Gill Rowe 02380 252626

valerie@bradavon.karoo.co.uk

white.alan@btinternet.com

gillianmrowe@hotmail.com

CAMBRIDGE June Ireland 01353 741357

LOTHIAN Jean Houston 0131 441 3611

SOUTHAMPTON Irene Bowrom 01794 340256

WOLVERHAMPTON Thelma Pearson 01902 783537

membersec@googlemail.com

ken.houston@blueyonder.co.uk

irene@macgregors-shadeplants. co.uk

DERBY Christine Sissons 01322 763 636

POOLE & BOURNEMOUTH Patricia Bowman 01202 710308

SWANSEA Gloria Morgan 01792 208290

chris.sissons@btinternet.com

patriiciabowman3@ntlworld.com

gloriamorgan@talktalk.net

HARROGATE Lin Tippey 01423 865946

READING David Laird 0118 947 0709

WEST LONDON Teresa Sawicka 020 8997 4848

keithandlin2@btinternet.com

davidlaird@talktalk.net

tere_ss@yahoo.co.uk

TALKBACK | SUMMER 2012

MEET THE PROFESSIONAL 15

From conventional to

PIONEERING

Georgie Oldfield MCSP is a Physiotherapist whose approach to chronic pain completely altered after coming across the work of John E Sarno MD in 2007. Where tissue damaging disorders are ruled out chronic pain is often actually stress induced, or psychophysiological.

As these conditions are reversible, she claims full recovery is possible

M

y journey as a Physiotherapist began in 1983, although I have to say that the past 5 years have been the most rewarding. The main reason for this is that now I see so many life-changing results with people whose lives have been severely affected by chronic pain.

So how did a Physiotherapist like me come to specialise in a non-hands on approach that caused a 360° turnaround in my understanding and treatment of chronic pain?

Using these complementary approaches over the years, I became increasingly aware of how important it is to treat the whole person, not just the part of the body that was hurting.

I had also realised that my results were improving as my treatments became gentler and I was now able to spend more time with patients, improving the relationship and trust. I was also perplexed that occasionally a patient would burst into tears after a treatment and they were

First Steps

Quite by chance, I started off specialising in Respiratory Care, becoming a Superintendent Physiotherapist within 6 years and managing the Physiotherapy Respiratory services within a large city hospital. When I had my first child I decided I didn’t want to work fulltime, and took a 6 month position covering for someone on sabbatical, but ended up staying for 15 years! The role expanded over the years, exposing me to a variety of conditions, patients and treatment approaches.

Around the year 2000, I had become frustrated with how limited we were in how we could treat pain. At this time I personally developed severe pain in both thumbs and index fingers for no apparent reason, which not surprisingly caused me problems as a Physiotherapist. My GP and I were both concerned it might be Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). Having seen and treated people with severe RA, this was a very frightening prospect. However, a colleague treated me with Acupuncture and within two treatments the pain went and I had no further problems with my hands. I was so impressed with my own results that I decided to train in Acupuncture. Looking back now, I realise I was going through a very stressful time

Things weren’t adding up and there were inconsistencies between a patient’s symptoms and their diagnosis in my own life and my recovery coincided with a Rheumatologist informing me that I had Osteoarthritis, not RA, which was a massive relief.

Pieces of the Puzzle

I then completed training in Reflexology and Adapted Reflex Therapy (AdRT), and due to exciting new results, my NHS Trust asked me to run a pilot study. This was the start of another major change in my career as I decided to focus on helping people resolve pain; I set up my own private clinic in 2005, called the Pain Relief Centre. I also trained in a type of Bowen Therapy, called Neurostructural Integration Technique (NST), which, alongside AdRT became my most successful treatments.

often considerably better the next time they came!

I was becoming increasingly unsettled by the medical model’s explanation for my patients’ symptoms. Things just weren’t adding up and all too often there were inconsistencies between a patient’s symptoms and their diagnosis. Most could not recall any injury and had often just woken with pain. On top of this, symptoms very often didn’t match the physical diagnosis, for example symptoms blamed on a prolapsed disc compressing a nerve on one side would often cause symptoms involving numerous nerves and often swapped sides.

I began to wonder why, if core stability is so important in preventing and resolving back pain, I was seeing so many patients who had often already worked for months on core stability programmes. Other times ➤ symptoms would move around TALKBACK | SUMMER 2012

16 MEET THE PROFESSIONAL

the body, bearing no relation to any physical ‘abnormality’ that might have been found on MRI. There were also frequent occasions over the years when patients would become completely pain free, despite still having the severe degeneration that had been attributed to the pain.

➤

Making Connections

As well as observing my patients’ anomalies I myself developed severe sciatica soon after leaving the NHS to set up my own clinic, yet I had had no injury.

It soon became clear to me that this was completely related to the stress I was feeling due to setting up my own business and not having a monthly salary any more.

In 2007, after years of searching for an answer, I received an email from Amazon recommending a book by John E Sarno MD. I often don’t even look at these, but something made me click on the link and then read the reviews. I remember thinking it all sounded too good to be true, but by this point I was so open-minded I decided to buy the book anyway and see what it was all about. This was the beginning of another major change in direction for me, yet I might not have been open to it if I had read it 10 years earlier.

As it was, it answered all the questions I had about my own pain and that of so many of my patients. Briefly, Dr Sarno is a Rehabilitation Specialist in New York and has been pioneering his work since the 1970s with the condition he called Tension Myositis Syndrome (TMS). Briefly, his theory is that repressed emotions can trigger the unconscious part of the nervous system to create pain, just as emotions such as fear trigger an automatic reaction in the body.

In other words, as we go through life we tend to cope, but we often bottle up how we really feel. These can build up and often during, or soon after, a stressful period the emerging emotions require an escape mechanism and the emotional brain reacts by creating pain, or another symptom, via the nervous system. These symptoms, and often our fears related to them, can end up becoming the focus of our attention and become a distraction from the actual underlying cause.

Interestingly, while reading the book, I woke up one morning with severe neck pain. I could work out what inner turmoil was causing it, although unfortunately I hadn’t reached the point in the book which told me what to do! I was in pain for 3 days because I was unable to continue with the book, yet once the issue resolved my pain TALKBACK | SUMMER 2012

I now focus my whole work on this approach, but accept there will continue to be resistance because we are pushing boundaries and long held beliefs about the cause of chronic pain disappeared within an hour.

This was powerful enough for me to really take on board all Dr Sarno was saying in his book and I recognised that there didn’t even have to be an obvious ‘trauma’ to trigger a symptom. However happy our upbringing, there are always going to be situations when our ‘buttons are pressed’ and personality plays a huge part in how we react to what’s happening around us, which then effects how much inner turmoil we might feel. We are also so used to the pace of lives these days that we often don’t even recognise how ‘stressed’ we are feeling because it has become the ‘norm’ as we continue to ‘cope’ with what’s happening in our lives.

Breaking Through

Over the next few weeks and months, I came to understand just how many of my own recurring health problems were actually stress induced and was able to resolve them all. It became very interesting looking at a timeline of when I had symptoms and what was going on in my life at the time. This in itself reinforced to me the potential for this approach and I went from going for treatment for various recurring problems every three months or so, especially since setting up my own business, to none at all since that time, yet being fitter than ever.

During my research I came across numerous studies demonstrating that spinal degeneration found on MRI scans is often

coincidental and is common in people with or without back pain (http://bit.ly/mriback).

Studies like this, plus what I was observing with my patients and my own health, reinforced the importance of this work and that it wasn’t just a placebo effect.

I arranged to study with Dr Sarno in November 2007, and set up my own TMS Recovery Programme (http://www.sirpauk. com) on my return. Since then, I have returned to the States twice more and built relationships and peer support links.

There is a strong movement now to raise awareness and millions of dollars have been granted for further research. I now also train other Practitioners to integrate this approach into their own work.

I now focus my whole work on this approach but accept there will continue to be resistance as we are pushing boundaries and long held beliefs about the cause of chronic pain. However, just as something as simple as washing hands could reduce mortality in babies and their mothers was initially ridiculed, I have no doubt that this concept will become widely accepted.

I cannot ignore the fact that since I changed my whole understanding about the cause and treatment of chronic pain, I am not only healthier than I have ever been, but I am now able to help so many people not just manage, but resolve their pain. I also love the fact that it is all about education and self-empowerment, which therefore has massive cost saving benefits.

SELF-HELP 17

BEAT THE

holiday backache BLUES The holiday season is upon us once again, and whether you’re jetting off or keeping it local, your back may be at risk Holiday Stress It is now well accepted that stress can precipitate an episode of physical pain, especially in parts of the body where you’ve previously experienced pain. Whilst we look forward to holidays and enjoy them, there is no doubt that holidays can be a source of stress for many people.

Whether it’s packing the night before, rushing to catch that flight, budgeting for meals abroad or being in extended close proximity with family members you don’t really get along with, there’s certainly plenty of opportunity to blow a fuse and suffer the consequences.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Today’s suitcases tend to have wheels and extendable handles so you don’t have to lift them. However, it’s the sudden explosive movements involved in lugging and hoisting

heavy baggage on and off vehicles and trolleys that can do the damage. Men are particularly at risk because they tend to overestimate their physical conditioning.

Play it safe, and lift slowly and squarely to your body with both hands – avoid violent, jerking, or yanking motions.

At the opposite end of the spectrum to over-exertion is under-exertion. If your flight is delayed, you may find yourself spending hours on uncomfortable airport seating. Once aboard, you may have to endure a long flight in cramped conditions.

Spot the signs and don’t set yourself up to suffer later. Firstly, keep moving – whether it’s going for a brisk walk, taking a stretch break, or doing some joint articulations and static muscle contractions in your seat. Secondly, keep hydrated, even if the airport water is expensive and you don’t like waking the person in the aisle seat to get to the tiny airplane toilet!

If you feel the stress building up, try this universal three-step stress busting formula:

1 PHOTOGRAPHY: SHUTTERSTOCK

Break your state – force yourself to

STOP and psychologically, or even physically, exit the situation by suddenly and fully diverting your attention to something entirely different.

Identify your trigger – without blaming, simply stop and notice precisely what has triggered you and watch precisely how you’ve reacted, as

2

if you are closely watching a character in a play.

Express and neutralise – without ranting or blaming, simply tell another person what happened, how it made you feel, and how you’ve gained new insights and strategies to help you in future. If you have no-one to talk to, express yourself on paper as if talking to a real person.

3

Losing Routines One of the great things about going on holiday is we can take a break from all the usual patterns and routines that we so often get entrenched in. This is why a good holiday feels so refreshing.

However, we can become so habituated with our daily routines that change can also leave us worse for wear. If you’re sensitive to your sleeping environment, you may find that several nights on a hotel mattress with an unfamiliar pillow can leave you with aches, pains and stiffness. Add to that several hours per day on a rigid sun-lounger, and you’re really asking for trouble!

Unfamiliar sleep hours and dietary patterns can compound matters, and leave you needing a holiday from your holiday. The best advice here is to take a positive behavioural routine with you.

For example, many people have made journaling, calisthenics (e.g. yoga, or pilates) or meditation a part of their daily life, just like brushing their teeth. When they go on holiday, they simply take this routine with them.

Another consequence of losing routines is that we tend to feel more ‘adventurous’ when on holiday. Coupled with alcohol, this can lead to careless behaviour and be a recipe for disaster. It’s important to enjoy the moment, but you do need to make it home in one piece afterwards! Know your limits and enjoy yourself.

Bon voyage!

TALKBACK | SUMMER 2012

18 REPORT

BACKCARE REPORT

Construction Industry Ahead of this year’s Construction-themed BackCare Awareness Week, we report on the issue of manual handling-associated risk and injury in the workplace

M

anual handling is the single largest cause of significant work-related injuries reported every year. In 2001, it accounted for 38% of all injuries lasting more than three days – almost as many as all the injuries from trips, falls, falling objects and moving vehicles put together.

According to the fifth European Working Conditions Survey (EWCO), exposure to physical risks associated with manual handling in the workplace has increased

over the last two decades. This increase may in part reflect changing attitudes to reporting, but we are still faced by the fact that, for at least a quarter of their time at work, more than 30% of EU workers are subject to handling heavy loads, over 40% to tiring or painful positions, and more than 60% to repetitive movements.

Back pain affects 80% of people at some stage in their life: nearly two thirds of industrial workers suffer lower back

SURVEY RESULTS ON MANUAL HANDLING Questionnaires were sent to employers within 5,167 organisations spanning ten different industry sectors ranging in size from the self-employed to 100+ employee organisations. Only 36% responded positively. As expected, public sector organisations – fire brigade, NHS trusts and Local Government – were the most responsive (70%). Most public sector respondents (71%) felt the benefits of safety regulations outweighed the costs of implementation. Less than a third of private sector organisations held this view.

Most private sector organisations felt the regulations had no impact upon sickness absence, staff morale or staff turnover. Public sector employers were far more likely to report ‘not knowing’ which may represent a more open and less assuming mindset.

Close to 100% of public sector respondents had heard of the MHORs, but this awareness was not shared across the board. Degree of awareness and implementation was associated with size of organisation. Fewer than one in seven self-employed respondents had heard of the regulations and more than a quarter reported zero implementation.

Clearly, dedicated safety and

TALKBACK | SUMMER 2012

occupational health personnel tend not to exist in smaller organisations where budgets may be tighter and each employee may serve several functions.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the perception that the regulations didn’t influence worker productivity or compensation claims was far more prevalent among employers who hadn’t previously heard of them.

Only 15% of construction industry employers returned completed questionnaires and only half of these respondents offered training in handling techniques to their employees. Around a quarter thought there was ‘far too much fuss about health and safety at work’. This contrasted with 2% among public sector employers who were three times more inclined to ‘strongly disagree’. Whilst nearly all construction industry respondents felt the regulations were applicable to them, a third had never heard of them, and a fifth confessed to zero implementation.

While this is particularly striking, given the nature of the construction industry, it is perhaps understandable considering that 80% believed the regulations had no impact upon staff absence, morale and turnover.

pain at any one time. This is significantly associated with lifting, pushing/pulling, and extreme truck flexion (Murtezani, 2011).

Back pain is the second most common painful neurological ailment and a leading cause of sickness absence from work.

The true impact of severe back pain on the individual is not commonly appreciated, not least because back pain in general is so prevalent. However, while back pain doesn’t kill, it tortures; clinical depression is common in chronic pain sufferers. Most people do return to work within three months, but pain and disability often persist, lasting over a year in nearly a third of cases (Henschke, 2008). Over four million working days are lost to back pain every year, costing the UK economy an estimated £12.3 billion – enough money to resolve the entire Africa water crisis, every single year.

Manual handling refers to any activity where we use the hands or bodily force to change the position or location of objects, animals or people. The basic principles and techniques of good manual handling are already well defined and subject to ongoing research and development.

Nonetheless, manual handling in the workplace continues to be the major cause of workplace injury and ill-health.

The institution and enforcement of UK manual handling regulations falls within the jurisdiction of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). HSE’s Manual Handling Operations Regulations (MHORs) 1992 details the measures required for minimising manual handling risk in the workplace. Survey-based research on organisational beliefs and behaviours towards the MHORs, conducted by the Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM), reveals some telling insights with a wide industry variation (see panel).

TAILORING THE MESSAGE There is clearly a need to tailor the message to the audience with respect to specific industry and organisation size. The fact different industries and sizes of organisation held distinct perceptions, attitudes and levels of proactivity and implementation suggests that one size does not fit all.

The IOM research data demonstrates that the needs of an organisation vary considerably across the spectrum of sizes and industries.

Smaller organisations are more likely to lack dedicated safety and occupational health personnel, and this was reflected in how they tended not to know about the regulations and felt that the costs outweighed the benefits. This means there may be little impetus for them to comply, beyond the looming threat of enforcement. The existing format of the regulations and their dissemination appears to best suit large public sector organisations. They seem to less well address and accommodate the needs and realities of small businesses, particularly the self-employed.

Most respondents thought that the numerical guidelines, assessment checklist and diagrams/illustrations were quite or very useful. Simplification is likely to be well received. Indeed, where a self-employed person must play one-man-band to all organisational functions, simplifications such as diagrams and checklists may be an effective approach to raising awareness and implementation rates. Of the ten industry sectors surveyed, one stands out as a particular problem area.

Construction has the highest rate of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). In 2004, there were 56,000 MSDs in the construction industry, which were mostly back injuries, and yet the prevalent perception amongst

their employers is that manual handling safety regulations make no difference to their staff. The degree of incongruence betrays a behavioural culture in need of change. This order of change is not achieved through the delivery of regulations and guidelines.

In terms of public sector employers, 82% had sourced helpful manual handling guidance from outside the HSE documentation, compared to 26% in the private sector organisations.

This suggests the sense of proactive responsibility that comes from identifying with, rather than merely complying with, requirements.

Research into positive adult development has made it quite clear that specific protocols of deliberate psychological education can enlarge the adult capacity and propensity for taking responsibility in more embracive and reflective ways (Manners, 2004).

Coupled with the instillation of postformal thinking skills, we have basis of changing behaviours (Kajanne, 2003 and weitzman, 2006). However, whilst it is easy to point the finger at a construction industry in need of address, it is the responsibility of the regulators to orchestrate such change using the technically evidenced approaches. Given the scale and cost of manual handling-related injuries in the workplace, a wait-and-see approach cannot be justified.

Actions follow beliefs, and until the beliefs and attitudes within problem industries are ‘grown’ to integrate the realities of this issue a resolution will continue to elude us. Conversely, the regulators must better understand and accommodate the needs of problem industries and smaller businesses to bridge the void between principle and practice.

PHOTOGRAPHY: SHUTTERSTOCK

REFERENCES Henschke, 2008 – Prognosis in patients with recent onset low back pain in Australian primary care: inception cohort study. BMJ. 2008, 337:a171 Kajanne, 2003 – Structure and content: the relationship between reflective judgment and laypeople’s viewpoints. Journal of Adult Development. 2003 Vol 10, 3:173-188 Manners, 2004 – Promoting advanced ego development amongst adults. Journal of Adult Development. 2004 Vol 11, 1:19-27 Murtezani, 2011 – Prevalence and risk factors for low back pain in industrial workers.

Folia Med (Plovdiv). 2011, Vol 53, 3:68-74 Weitzman, 2006 – Promoting postformal thinking on the job: a protocol for interpersonal conflict resolution training. Journal of Adult Development. 2006 Vol 13, 1:45-51

THE GUIDE TO

The Handling of People 6TH EDITION

PREVIEW AND ORDER NOW ONLINE AT WWW.HOP6.ORG “We commend this new edition to the nursing and caring professions at all levels” Dr Peter Carter, Chief Executive and General Secretary, Royal College of Nursing

“An evolution in the handling of people guidance” Peggy Frost, Head of Professional Practice, College of Occupational Therapists

“Essential reading for all those with a responsibility for handling people” Julian Topping, Programme Lead, NHS Employers

20 CORPORATE PARTNERS

‘A small change can make a big difference’

BackCare speaks to Marcin Boyzk, Back2’s director about the company’s products and its core philosophy

BackCare: Can you tell us a bit

most of the time you must rely on yourself. them are quite personalised and individual. about Back2?

Whatever you do, you need to try new So our focus is on the UK. When someone

Marcin: Back2 is one of the leading things. Get more information. We provide comes into the shop we can advise them suppliers of Ergonomic products in the UK a lot of general information, and a lot of depending on how tall they are and what with premises in London’s prestigious West information about products. Sometimes build they have. We can advise you on End. With over twenty year’s experience, you only need a small product to make a what sort of product, chair, or pillow, Back2 has the expertise and knowledge huge difference. Sometime a very small is right for your problem. So you really of advising and selling the most suitable adjustment in your life makes a huge need to spend thirty to forty minutes products to help people work better. difference. to understand what you actually need.

As a leading supplier, we help all types People might think, ‘Oh, I need a chair’, of companies and people (from FTSE BackCare: What was your journey? but it’s very important that you come to the 100 companies to the self-employed) to How did you come to be director shop and try to get the basic information improve productivity and cut the cost of of Back2?

– how high you should sit, where your work-related absence caused by posture Marcin: I started working in the arms should be positioned, your computer problems. Whether it’s a special ergonomic warehouse, and bit-by-bit learned about monitor, where your keyboard should chair, fitting out an entire office or support the company philosophy, and educated be. And people say, ‘Wow! I didn’t products to help you work better they have myself about the products available. We realise how much information I needed the experience to provide what you need. offer some really amazing products – some to consider before I even start to think things that I had never seen in my life. about products’. So we try to advise BackCare: What is your philosophy Even some of the doctors are amazed. customers to go home or to work, and try at Back2?

And we source products from all over the out changes in their own environment or at Marcin: The philosophy... Well we do world, from Sweden, Norway, the United their desk believe that if you have any back problems States, France, Japan, and the UK. We try or issues, the answer is in your hands. to find the most effective products and the BackCare: Ok, so 80% of people will Obviously, doctors can help and guide best quality for our customers. suffer from back pain at some point in you, but you are the one who knows their life. Do you get back pain? your body best. And as it’s yours, you BackCare: Do you sell your Marcin: I did once. Last year I was can change your lifestyle and try different products in other countries? lifting a chair in a customer’s office and products. Obviously you need help, but Marcin: Not really because many of suddenly felt this ‘click’ and thought, ‘Oh

kCare A corporate partnership with Bac r commitment you demonstrates to your customers k and neck pain bac to improving the quality of life of ay by visiting sufferers across the UK. Join us tod tepartners www.backcare.org.uk/corpora Anglo-European College of Chiropractic Offers chiropractic degrees recognised by the General Chiropractic Council At One Holistic Therapy Offers massage therapy in the workplace AZ Spinex UK Ltd Distributor of the Freespine exercise machine

TALKBACK | SUMMER 2012

Back App UK Ltd Distributor of the Back App ergonomic chair

British Medical Acupuncture Society Charity promoting the use and understanding of acupuncture in medicine Christies Care Ltd Specialist provider of full time, live-in care assistants

Back2 International Retailer of ergonomic products for the office and home user

College of Chiropractors Promotes standards in chiropractic practice for patient benefit

British Chiropractic Association The largest and longest established UK association for chiropractors

Docklands Training Consultants Ltd Specialist training and consultancy for health and social care workers

Dorsoo UK Producer of the hydraulic slatted base Dorsoo bed system Ergoflex Ltd Memory foam mattress specialists Flexibak Limited The osteopath-designed back support cradle for lower back problems Hammersmith Press Ltd Independent book publisher that promote better health and well-being High and Mighty Office Seating Ergonomic office seating and accessories

CORPORATE PARTNERS 21

Back2 is located on Wigmore Street, in London’s West End, and opens 7 days a week

no, I’m finished!’ I couldn’t do anything for a couple of days. But I think one of the amazing products is the ‘Perfect Chair’ – its puts you in the zero gravity position so you don’t put pressure on your back, and if you have back pain and you sit on this chair you can actually feel the benefit.

Marcin: Oh yes, I have to try everything.

BackCare: Did you use this product?

Marcin: Yes, this is what I used.

BackCare: So what is the best

BackCare: So is this one of the benefits of working at Back2, to try different products?

Hotties Thermal Packs Ltd Manufacturer of microwavable hot water bottles and therapeutic thermal packs Human Frameworks Limited Distributor of the Acuball heatable acupressure ball Manage At Home Ltd Retailer of mobility and disability aids and equipment Medserve Supplier of professional electro-therapy systems and accessories Orangebox Ltd Design, manufacture and

And it’s a great opportunity to be able to test so many amazing products. And I have to test them myself. I cannot just sell them online. I need to know what I’m talking about. I need to know how and why these products work.

product you’ve seen to help with back pain?

Marcin: Well, there is no ‘best’ product.

All of us are different. So you really need to come in and try different products. What

distribution of contemporary workplace seating Orderout (Hypnia) Manufacturer of memory foam mattresses for full body support Ortho Medical Ltd Distributer of orthopaedic and medical products Osmond Ergonomics Supplier of products and services to improve workplace wellbeing and productivity PosturePlast Providing the benefits of medical taping in a one-piece consumer product

works for one may not work for another.

We need to identify the customer’s problem, their physical condition, their lifestyle, the factors involved – only then can we advise them and say, ‘This may be the best product for you’. But ultimately you do need to get to know your own body and learn to help yourself.

For more information on Back2 products please contact Marcin Boyzk on 0207 935 0351 or email marcin@back2.co.uk

Sasaki International Ltd Distributor of the Sasaki Sleep System and other natural health products Spinal Health Care Personalised treatment approach for lower back pain and sciatica SpineWorks Multidisciplinary team approach to complete care for back problems Spring Rehabilitation Centres Ltd Provider of personalized active rehabilitation for musculoskeletal problems Talbot Specialist School Providing outstanding secondary

education for learning disabled children The Back Shop Retailer of home and office back care products The London Upright MRI Centre Provide open MRI scanning in a weight bearing position Vertibax Ltd MHRA-registered manufacturer of joint pain relief products William Turner & Son Ltd Manufacturer and supplier of school wear accessories

TALKBACK | SUMMER 2012

22 FUNDRAISING

Marathon efforts BackCare’s major fundraising event this year was the Virgin London Marathon 2012. A fantastic £47,779.44 was raised by the 26 valiant runners who took part for BackCare. The star fundraiser was Lorraine Collins who raised an amazing £4,470, nearly two and a half times the average amount. Not far behind was BackCare’s Executive Chairman, Brian Hammond, with £3,354.50.

We are very grateful to all those who trained, fundraised, twisted arms and ran the race. It’s not too late to make a donation to BackCare by sponsoring a London Marathon runner. Simply go online and visit www.virgingiving.com/ name of runner, where the runner’s name is one of those in the list.

Runner Total raised Brad Burt...................................... £525.00 Eion Carroll................................ £1,203.75 Paul Coffey................................ £1,518.21 Lorraine Collins.......................... £4,470.00 Fiona Drew................................ £1,075.63 Carin Dutton.............................. £2,396.75 John Ellis................................... £1,550.00 Sarah Giles................................ £1,544.95 Hanna Gottschling..................... £1,513.75 Daniel Hammond....................... £2,047.13 Brian Hammond........................ £3,544.50 Sam Harding............................. £1,828.85 Sally Hopkins............................. £1,655.63 Andrew McKeown........................ £806.00 Paul Mitterhuber........................ £2,388.35 Anthony Ramsden..................... £2,537.50 Paul Richardson........................ £1,182.50 Anne Sigel................................. £1,837.50 Steve Smith............................... £1,644.37 Des Supple................................ £1,860.00 Sarah Jane Taylor...................... £2,035.51 Ed Tynan................................... £2,275.00 Stuart Valentine............................ £848.70 Glenn Winsdale............................ £536.00 Natalie Wofford.......................... £1,641.25 Charlie Woods........................... £3,312.61

l We will be challenging runners to take part again in 2013. The date is set for 21 April 2013, so if you fancy taking part in a day like no other, do get in contact. We can give you advice on how to train and how to fundraise, and we can help with publicity and promotional materials.

HORSES FOR COURSES Clockwise from top – The BackCare team cheering runners on; Daniel Hammond at a water point; Burt Brad limbering up; Brian Hammond with his medal

TALKBACK | SUMMER 2012

Marion Hollands is donating proceeds of her book to BackCare. ‘Learning from other people’s experience’ is about training horses and the relationship between horses and riders. It is spiral bound A5, written as individual short stories with practical ideas on horse training after each story. Books are on sale for £6 each.

Marion is a British Horse Society registered instructor and a List 3 affiliated dressage judge. She still teaches and judges but due to three prolapsed discs doesn’t ride any more. We’re very grateful to her efforts and creativity.

FUNDRAISING & EVENTS 23

BACKCARE’S GOT TALENT

One of the successful fundraising efforts this Spring was Daniel Hammond’s event, Back2Balham, which raised money towards his London Marathon sponsorship. This was a very enjoyable night of acoustic music and comedy in a local pub in Balham. We are very grateful to the following people who donated raffle prizes for the event.

Kamal Thapen and Claire Rennie who donated two items, a free Alexander Technique session in Clapham and a free place on one of their Running and Alexander Technique Sessions on Clapham Common Ajay Shah who donated a one-hour osteopathic consultation Zoe Elvin for her donation of a one-toone Pilates session, including a postural assessment If you would like to hold an event for BackCare, whether it’s a music night, a special raffle or anything else, then please do get in contact with the BackCare office by calling 0845 130 2704. We’d really like to hear about your ideas and we can provide information and advice to make your fundraiser a great success.

Dan Hammond on vocals at Back2Balham

BackCare Awareness Week 8-12 October 2012 This year’s awareness week is about Builders’ Backs. Chronic back pain is a significant problem in the construction industry. According to our BackCare Report on Construction (p18), larger building and construction companies may be leading the way in terms of looking after the backs of their workforce. But smaller businesses struggle to keep up with best practice and may not think that health & safety regulations are relevant for them. To make most impact, we’ve joined forces with Pristine Condition, world leading trainers in manual handling, who will help co-author a campaign to leverage their technology. Their guarantee is to ‘reduce manual handling related incidents by at least 50%’.

Find out more through our mini-site, www.buildersbackpain.org.uk, or by calling the BackCare office on 020 8977 5474.

Classifieds TELEPHONE COUNSELLING Fully qualified counsellor, specialising in pain, disability, depression, anxiety Vicki Soul (MA, MBACP) vickisoul@gmail.com / 07867513113

BACK APP UK LTD Get an excellent posture and a stronger back while sitting at your computer!

01727 757221 www.backapp.co.uk

Advertise in TalkBack If you would like to join our advertisers and reach an audience of people with an interest in back pain, do give us a call to discuss your options. TalkBack is a generally at least 24 pages, produced quarterly and it reaches a readership of approx. 30,000 in both printed and digital formats.

Rates range from £20 (ex-VAT) for a classified advert to £1,200 (ex-VAT) for a full-page advert in a prime location.

Please call 020 8977 5474 and ask for Helen, or email advertising@backcare.org.uk for a rate card and further information.

TALKBACK | SUMMER 2012

NOW AVAILABLE ON ANDROID “Brilliant exercises that do just enough HHHHH ” “Great free app HHHHH ” Winner of the 2011 Charity Times award for Best use of Technology, the BackCare app that was first released on the iPhone is now available for Android users in Free and Donate (69p) versions n Back care information n Instructional videos

n Recommended exercises n Local practitioner search

‘I am not 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