The Back4Good® Programme
More than 80% of the adult population suffer from low back pain at some time in their life. It is one of the most common reasons why people take time off work, and may be distressing and frustrating as quality of life often suffers.
Yet gentle, effective exercise, delivered by a properly trained exercise professional, can often help with the prevention and management of low back pain. This was underlined by the publication in 2009 of medical guidelines recommending that people with persistent non-specific low back pain should be encouraged to stay physically active and exercise. Non-specific low back pain is tension, soreness and/or stiffness in the lower back region, back pain for which your medical practitioner has not been able to identify a specific cause for the pain. The key focus will be to help you to self-manage your condition and to keep you active.
Back4Good® Practitioners are exercise specialists who are trained to help people with non-specific low back pain. Practitioners are already experienced Body Control Pilates teachers, having been certified by Europe’s foremost Pilates organisation. They have additionally undertaken extensive training exclusively related to exercise referral and low back pain to become a Back4Good® Practitioner and a Level 4 Advanced Exercise Instructor. This training has been externally accredited by SkillsActive and The Register of Exercise Professionals who oversee quality and standards for the UK health and fitness industry.
Peace of Mind
If your doctor, physiotherapist, osteopath or chiropractor refers you to a Back4Good® Practitioner – or if you enrol for the ‘Healthy Back’ classes - you can have total peace of mind that you are being taught by a qualified professional.
Where a Back4Good® Practitioner needs to liaise with your doctor or specialist they are equipped with skills to do so – this will be done with your permission and in complete confidence as Practitioners are bound by a strict Code of Professional Practice.
BackCare, the national charity for healthier backs, has endorsed the training programme for Back4Good® Practitioners, who are registered as BackCare Professionals.
What type of exercises are in the Back4Good® Programme?
During your sessions your practitioner will teach you the ‘Pilates ABCs’ - Alignment, Breathing and Centring (Core Stability) - in a supportive environment. Once these basics are learnt, you will be taught a series of exercises designed to help you control your movements and improve your posture, increasing both the strength and mobility of your back. All of the exercises are Pilates-based and have been adapted specially to help counter the effects of low back pain.
So, if you have been recommended to take up exercise to help manage your low back problem or if you want to enrol for classes, what are the best ways forward?
Referral to the Back4Good® Programme
You may be referred to our classes by your medical practitioner, such as your GP or physiotherapist. Your Back4Good® Practitioner will happily liaise with your GP to facilitate your referral and to plan the best programme for you.
You can opt to join the ‘Group’ Programme (small group classes, with a maximum of 10 clients) which offers a structured exercise programme for 8 weeks, or the ‘One-to-One’ Programme (which also includes a movement assessment and personalised exercise plan).
In both cases, your Practitioner will take you through a thorough enrolment process to ensure that you get maximum benefit from your Back4Good® sessions. Both programmes will be tailored to your own special needs.
‘Healthy Back’ Classes
These small group classes are a great way to strengthen your back and prevent problems. Please click on the link to the left.
Referral to the Back4Good® Programme
We also work on the principle that, when it comes to exercise, every little bit helps and we promote a ‘Get Active’ programme for our clients as a way of continuing to exercise when away from Back4Good® classes.
It is important to keep your back fit and healthy by staying active and participating in regular physical activity. There is no need to run a marathon or become a fitness fanatic to achieve this; small changes to your life style can make a real difference. You can think of:
- Walking or cycling instead of taking the car.
- When using public transport, getting off one stop earlier and walking the rest.
- Gardening, vacuuming, cleaning the house or walking the dogs are all examples of daily activities whereby you are being physically active.
Furthermore you should chose an exercise or activity that you enjoy and that gives you the benefits you want, such as walking, swimming, cycling, going to the fitness centre, aerobics, etc. You’ll find that you get most benefit if you do these activities 2 to 4 times a week for about 20 to 30 minutes at a time. You may want to alternate between activities or join a group to ensure that you keep enjoying your activities.
Besides using these activities to keep your back fit and healthy, your mind and the rest of your body will also experience the benefits.
“Rest and get worse or get active and recover”
- The Back Book
Why not join a ‘Healthy Back’ class?
Alternatively, if you are looking at back pain prevention, then the ‘Healthy Back’ group class is the perfect option.
Based on the world-renowned Body Control Pilates programme, these classes (private ‘one-to-one sessions also available) will give you a gentle, balanced workout with the focus on strengthening the core abdominals that do so much to support your back, improve the quality of your movements and keep your spine flexible and strong.
For more information, please contact your Back4Good® Practitioner.
