NHS says “Back pain is the largest single cause of disability in the UK”

This week is Back Care Awareness Week, and with back pain the leading cause of disability in the UK, it’s a good time to reflect and think about how we can look after our backs better.

In fact, according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), 60% of Brits can expect to have back issues at some point in their life, so it’s crucial that we know what to do to reduce the risk of chronic pain – which affects up to 4% of young adults and 7% of over 45s.

But it’s not just adults who experience back pain – it’s actually incredibly common in children. More than a third of children and adolescents suffer, with around 9% reporting to have severe back pain. Reasons can include playing sports, carrying heavy backpacks to school, or sitting for long periods of time in uncomfortable chairs.

And with a more sedentary winter rapidly approaching, we will naturally be spending more time indoors. Therefore, what we sit on is even more important. Back Care Awareness Week is the perfect opportunity to discuss everything we can do to improve our back health.

Ari spoke to Denis Garcia from Hinomi.