08/10/2026
Inline with the Back Care Awareness Campaign Theme: Prevention is Better Than Cure & Keep Moving.
We put together some Key Facts about back pains:
• Back pain is number one cause of disability worldwide.
• 80% of people will have it at some point.
• Leading cause of sickness absence in NHS.
• Most back pain is “non-specific”, not caused by serious disease.
Common Causes:
• Poor posture: sitting slouched, hunching over phone.
• Sedentary lifestyle: weak core and back muscles.
• Lifting injuries: bending from back not knees, twisting.
• Medical conditions: arthritis, herniated/slipped disc, osteoporosis, sciatica.
• Stress: causes muscle tension, holds pain longer.
5 Red Flag Symptoms:
• Pain lasts more than few weeks and not improving.
• Severe pain not eased by rest.
• Pain radiates below knee, numbness / tingling / weakness in legs.
• Unexplained weight loss, fever, chest pain.
• Loss of bladder/bowel control, could be Cauda Equina - A&E immediately.
Prevention Tips for Campaign:
At Work:
• Chair supports lumbar spine, screen at eye level, feet flat on floor.
• Don’t sit for more than 30 mins; stand, stretch, walk.
• Lifting: bend knees, straight back, weight close to body, don’t twist, get help if greater than 25kg.
• Use trolleys, carts, don’t carry everything.
At Home:
• Sleep flat on back with pillow under knees, or side with pillow between knees for neutral spine.
• Use wide-strapped rucksack, switch sides.
• Maintain healthy weight - extra weight strains back.
• Spread housework over week, store heavy items at waist height.
