Why did we create Backtivity?

In a word... it's about justice.

It is just not right that people with chronic back pain don’t get listened to and don’t have a voice.

We think back pain may be the most overlooked health condition in the world.

So we want to kick off a new and different kind of conversation.

Listen to some despicable FACTS about back pain:

* it is the number one cause of disability,
* 4 out of 5 adults worldwide are affected,
* the intensity of pain can be on a scale compared to torture

And what is being done about it?
Where are the "walk for pain" fund-raisers?
Where is the telethon?
Where is the war on pain being declared by presidents and prime ministers?
Does this make you angry? It should.

I'm a physician but I believe we can do better as a community than medicine has done as an industry.

Admittedly, the medical profession has some messed up priorities.

There's a wonderful quote I like to borrow:
In the 18th century, Georges Clemenceau said, "War is too important to be left to the generals."
Which I twist into, "Back pain is too important to be left to the doctors."

But what can we do about it?

We can organize. I invite you to join our community.

We are creating a community of current and former back pain sufferers, and their supporters.

What is this community going to do?

Well, we can share and learn from each other.

The problem with many grassroots attempts at solving medical dilemmas is that they throw too much at the wall hoping that something will stick.

To prevent that, we're going to provide a short list of tips, tricks, and exercises that have already been scientifically tried and tested and shown to benefit other back pain sufferers.

Then we'll ask members of the community to share which of these exercises  they are using, how often, how long, and how intensely.

This is where we need to get specific. We want to answer questions like:

What is the least amount of time spent doing an exercise that led to real improvement?

Which exercises are most likely to lead to COMPLETE cures?

Is it better to do a back endurance exercise 10 times a day for 1 minute or 2 times a day for 5 minutes?

Next, we'll give you assessment tools to better measure your pain and how it interferes with your life.

Assessments include limits on activity like, "Does your pain keep you from walking more than 5 minutes? 10? or 2 hours?"

Finally, we'll combine that with some very basic demographic information --

Are you in the 20 - 30 age group? 40 - 50?

How much do you sit, stand, or walk during the day?

Have you exercised most of your life, not at all, or somewhere in between?

Having that kind of specific information, targeted to your particular demographic, can help you find a cure. I guarantee, you will discover more than one way to cure your pain.

But you know what may be the best value you get from being a part of this community?

You can be inspired by the stories of others.

You will hear from those who have been where you are now and

they-got-better.

It comes down to, "If they could do it, I can do it."

So, yes, go ahead. Get angry.

Then … get better.

And that, my friends, would be a victory in this war.



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