Prevalence of Back Pain in the UK

The prevalence of back / neck pain in the UK is significant, with a substantial number of individuals affected by this condition. Here are some key statistics:

9 million people in England live with back pain, with 61% suffering from a severe case.

85 to 95% of people who suffer from back pain do not know the pathological origin of their pain.

80% of people will experience low back pain at some point in their lives.

1 in 10 adults report experiencing chronic low back pain, with many suffering from pain lasting over three months.

Over 30% of work-related musculoskeletal disorders are due to back pain, primarily in physically demanding jobs. In the UK, there were 10,543 non-fatal workplace injuries caused by handling, lifting, or carrying in the 2023/24 reporting year, along with an additional 115,000 self-reported injuries of the same cause. In the previous year, 116,200 manual handling injuries were recorded.

Causes

Often there is no particular cause however cumulative strain which can be caused by poor posture, poor workplace ergonomics in particular sitting for too long, being overweight, working beyond personal capability, static muscle loading, not taking adequate breaks and inadequate risk assessments resulting in the manual handling of loads that should be moved by equipment and so on. There is a greater incidence of back pain amongst smokers as the nicotine restricts blood flow starving discs and muscles of nutrients and oxygen leading to degeneration, weakness and slower healing. Also increases inflammation, impedes calcium absorption and increase the risks of osteoporosis. All creating a cycle where poor circulation and inflammation damages spinal structures leading to more injury and pain. Today’s workplace has too many sedentary jobs where people sit at screens that are at the wrong height, incorrect seats and sitting for too long. Then after a day’s work travel home often looking down at a phone or laptop all adding to the cumulative effect. Once home crash out in front of the TV or another screen and wonder why backache or pain results. At work psychosocial issues are a factor. About 80% of people when picking something up from the ground typically bend at the waist placing about 30-40% of their body weight on the base of their spine. Training that does not address the situations that cause problems are worthless and do not lead to the required  change in behaviours.

Consequences

Straining a muscle usually in the lower back or a ligament can result in sudden and severe pain. However, long term poor posture and overloading can lead to life changing injuries including damage to the discs which are full of fluid and act as shock absorbers. They can crack, spilt and release the gel like fluid leading to extreme pain. In addition, a worn disk can cause pressure on the sciatic nerves rinning from the lower back down each leg to the feet.

Further consequences can be a huge impact on personal life, absenteeism from work, permanent disability with loss of employment and so on.

How to manage risks associated with back pain.

A national guideline (from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), referenced below) recommends one or more of the following treatments should be considered. Each of these treatments has some evidence from research trials to suggest that they will help to ease symptoms in some people (but not all):

Structured exercise programme. This means a programme of exercise supervised by a professional such as a physiotherapist. This is likely to be in a group setting. Exercises may include aerobic activity, movement instruction, muscle strengthening, posture control and stretching. It typically consists of up to eight supervised sessions over 8-12 weeks with encouragement to keep on doing the exercises at home between sessions.

A course of acupuncture. It is not clear how this may work. (Some doctors feel that this is a controversial recommendation as the evidence for effectiveness is weak.)

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) may also be recommended as a treatment option. There is good evidence from research trials that it can help. CBT aims to help change the way that people think, feel and behave. It is used as a treatment for various health problems, including various types of chronic pain.

If the above treatments have not helped much then a referral to a specialist pain clinic might be advised. Sometimes nerve root injections or facet joint injections are suggested, depending on the findings in the pain clinic.

Prevention being better than cure.

Understanding the causes and identifying your personal risk factors is the starting point. At work this is the duty of your employer who must by law ( The Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999) conduct risk assessments, If your job requires you to operate a  PC laptop, I pad or other device for more than half of your working day the Display Screen Equipment regulations apply. This requires all workstations to be assessed to include hight of screen, use of keyboard and the chair you sit in. If your job requires manual handling i.e. the lifting, lowering, carrying, supporting, pushing, pulling, throwing or dropping of a load by hand or bodily force  those tasks require an assessment, If hazardous it should be avoided by use of mechanical aids or automation and so on. This is required by the Manual Handling Operations regulations.

Key actions to reduce risks.

  • Focus on posture.
  • The simple task of getting up from your chair at least once an hr to change position, to stretch, to take a short walk during work breaks and regularly changing positions will all assist in reducing risks.
  • Sleep well in a comfortable bed either on your back with knees bent or on your side with a pillow between your thighs to keep the spine in line.
  • Attend or provide training in posture and manual handling which can and does contribute to reducing risks to people.
  • Teach muscle memory techniques to improve postures
  • Manage your weight.
  • Quit smoking.
  • Manage your stress.

F.A.Q.s  

Q. If I sit at a computer for half or more of my day must ny employer conduct a workstation risk assessment on me and my station?

A. Yes required by law.

Q. If I move and handle loads at work must my employer risk asses them?

A Yes unless the matter is trivial.

Q Does my employer have to provide me with training during worktime to manage the risks

A yes

Q Is their evidence that training and risk assessments can reduce injuries

A Yes and we at Solutions have many case studies to evidence that claim.

Conclusions

Not all muscular skeletal disorders can be avoided e.g. disease and ageing however with simple steps, education and training may of the risk factors can either be eliminated or reduced.

References:

Health & Safety Executive, (HSE) Office for National Statistics (ONS0 NHS, Solutions Training and Advisory Ltd.

Need help?

The team at Solutions can assist you in managing these risks and have an impressive track record of reducing absenteeism associated with Musculo skeletal problems