BackPain.online Supporting Corporate Wellness

BackPain.online, a new, personalised, digital treatment programme to support people with back pain has launched in the UK. The founders believe it is the missing link between NHS musculoskeletal provision and private medical insurance (PMI). 

The cost of back pain

• 40% of musculoskeletal disorders in the UK are related to back pain ¹.
• The annual cost of back pain to the UK economy was £10 billion according to figures collected in 2000 ².
• The CBI estimates that, per employee, back pain costs £208 each year ³.
• The HSE calculated that each case of back pain results in an average of 18.9 days off work ³.

How to deal with employee back pain

There are two options, rely on the NHS or offer private healthcare options.

• The NHS offers free treatment, but with long waiting lists, often 12 weeks or more.
• After 6 weeks, however, back pain improvement slows considerably ⁴.
• Private therapy can be accessed via Private Medical Insurance (PMI), but this is expensive. There is also the option of cash plans.

The Missing Link

BackPain.online’s treatment programmes follow guidelines set out by NICE on how best to support those with back pain and associated issues. 

• Patients complete a 27-question eConsultation
• Patient responses are used to construct a personalised therapy programme for each user
• Each therapy programme consists of education, advice and rehabilitation videos
• Users can access their therapy programme within minutes of completing their eConsultation, and from any device with an internet connection

Results 

After 14 days:

• 57% of our users reported “I'm doing more than when I started, including at work and in general life”
• 44% reported “I feel I’m moving better having done the rehab I’ve seen in my programme”
• 26% reported “I’m sleeping better or waking up feeling better”

Similarly, after 30 days:

• Our users reported an average pain scale reduction of 3.6 out of 10 
• 64% reported “I’m more confident about managing my back pain now I understand my back better”

BackPain.online as a corporate solution 

BackPain.online has never been intended as a replacement for face-to-face musculoskeletal services, such as those provided by PMI.

It does, however, offer a much more affordable service that can be provided alongside PMI, within cash plans, or as part of a wider wellbeing provision.

The benefits of offering a digital platform to employees with back pain include:

• Swift access to reliable triage – action can be taken within minutes
• Trustworthy advice and education can be offered in a timely manner, reducing time off work for appointments to be attended
• Prompt action reduces the longevity of back pain episodes and prevents the development of chronic conditions
• User anonymity can be maintained - employees will be able to get help without fear of harming work prospects

Bespoke Options

Working with corporate organisations, BackPain.online can also offer bespoke options:

1. Content relevant to your industry can be filmed eg common hazards, working practices
2. Analysis can be provided, facilitating links to other wellbeing activities

If you have any questions or would like to know more about how BackPain.online can help you or your company, please contact us on [email protected].