TALKBACK WELCOME 3
Welcome Hello and welcome to the first issue of 2015. Whether you’re a regular reader or are new to TalkBack, I hope you had a great Christmas and exciting start to the year. It’s certainly proving to be an exciting new year for the charity, with many developments since the last issue of TalkBack, including the start of our new Chief Executive Stuart Blackman, and launch of the new BackCare website – you can meet Stuart and read all about the website overleaf. We also now have a dedicated communications person, Mary Burstow, who has been doing a tremendous job with our social media, multiplying the number of people who follow and share BackCare online – you can read her roundup of what’s been trending on page 8. In the news, we’ll be reporting on a professional member making headlines, a BackCare branch in crisis, and announce the theme of the 2015 BackCare Awareness Week. As you might recall, we brought you news of the Get Britain Standing campaign in TalkBack last summer. There is growing evidence that sitting for too many hours a day has seriously negative long-term health implications and the biggest culprit appears to be the sedentary office. In January, BackCare attended the first “Active Working Summit”, which is part of a growing movement to rethink the workplace – you can read the full report in this issue (pages 18-19). We welcome back BackCare professional member Nick Sinfield for the start of a new miniseries focusing on self-management and recovery. We continue our conversation with the
Contents
osteopaths, chiropractors and acupuncturists with a miniQ&A session, with five answers to three common back pain questions. And we also have our usual array of features from leaders in their respective fields, including: osteopath and trigger point therapist, Simeon Neil-Asher; and physiotherapist and researcher, Kieran O’Sullivan. As always, we do welcome contributions – whether you have back pain or treat people with back pain, if you can inform and inspire others, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch by email to yourstory@backcare.org.uk or by letter to the usual address. So I hope you enjoy this issue and I’ll see you in the next!
Back pain conquered
5
Pain is not damage
9
Pools under threat
11
The BIG questions
12
Making a stand
19
Trigger Points
21
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 Pages Creative www.pagescreative.co.uk and printed by Severn, Gloucester.
TALKBACK l ISSUE 1 2015