Feature

14 April 2008

Essex chiropractor delighted that UK loses to Germany

Yes! The UK has been thrashed by Germany and Italy! Before I start getting angry letters, let me explain. Germany, closely followed by Italy, has been revealed as the number one European hotspot for back pain.

To highlight Chiropractic Awareness Week, the British Chiropractic Association (BCA) commissioned a poll of over 15,000 people across seven European countries. The Euro Backpain Barometer(1) reveals that across all the countries surveyed, on average, at least half the population suffers from back pain. Germany is leading the way with 67 per cent suffering, followed by Italy with 63 per cent reporting back pain and the UK comes in third with 52 per cent.

Across all seven countries, the single biggest cause of back pain is bad posture; but it’s not just bad posture that can trigger back pain problems:

Italian fashion has a lot to answer for with nearly 15 per cent of back pain sufferers in Italy blaming their high heels for back painIn Germany, using a computer is the second most common trigger for back problemsIn the UK, pregnancy is a bigger trigger of back pain than anywhere else

More shocking is the ‘grin and bear it’ culture across Europe, on average, people with back pain have been suffering for 3-5 years. The Swedes are the longest suffering, with 78 per cent claiming to have had back pain for three or more years. Over a tenth of those in Finland have been suffering for as long as they remember and 23 per cent of Brits with back pain have been suffering for a decade or more.

The soaring levels of back pain across Europe are also having an effect on the economy with many taking long periods of time off work. In the UK more than one in 20 sufferers say they have taken more than six months off work, compared to Italy where it is less than one in 500.

Not surprising when you consider that the vast majority of back pain sufferers across all countries have office based jobs, where poor posture seems to be increasingly prevalent. Hours of sitting and slouching over computer keyboards is evidently taking its toll.

Over one in four sufferers across Europe are experiencing back pain on a daily basis, but hitting the medicine cabinet is the preferred port of call over any other form of treatment, despite the majority of respondents admitting that pain killers do not work for them.

This study highlights what a detrimental effect back pain can have on people’s lives, particularly in regard to preventing people from taking regular exercise which only exacerbates the problem. I encourage you all to incorporate a very simple three minute exercise (Straighten Up UK) into your daily routine to help strengthen your spine and improve posture. You can download the routine (suitable for adults and children) from here www.straightenupuk.org or for more information call the BCA on 0118 950 5950.

The Euro Backpain Barometer

(highest to lowest incidences of back pain)

1. Germany

Biggest cause of back pain is bad posture 31% Germans are suffering on a daily basisGermany’s social life is most affected by back pain – 35% of sufferers have been prevented from socialising because of pain

2. Italy

Biggest cause of back pain is bad posture More Italians have taken time off work than any other country 15% Italians have blamed their back pain on high heels

3. UK

Lifting and Carrying is the biggest cause of back painBack pain is on the increase Pregnancy is a bigger trigger of back pain in England than anywhere else

4. (joint) France 

50% of population suffer from back painMore French are suffering on a daily basis than any other countryBad Posture is the biggest trigger of back pain

4. (joint) Finland

Finland has the worst posture – 72% are blaming their pain on bad posture Highest proportion of weekly back pain sufferersOver one in ten have been suffering for as long as they can remember

6. Sweden

36% of population suffer from back painLifting and Carrying is the biggest cause of back painThe Swedish are the longest suffering – 78% of back pain sufferers have had it for 3+ years

7. Netherlands

Lowest incidence of back pain across all countries surveyedBad posture is biggest cause of back painMajority of sufferers have had back pain for 10+ years BUT Netherlands grin and bear the pain – 57% haven’t taken any time off work

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