Easing back pain can cut down absences

Jul 16 2007 by Jane Picken, Evening Chronicle

Office-bound workers spend an average of 35 hours a week sat at their desks. Reporter CHRIS HOPE finds how this can lead to some serious back injuries.

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MUM-of-two and company boss Carole Beverly has taken more drastic action than most to ensure her office is free from back pains.

She arranged for physiotherapist Ross Tomkins, to come into the workplace and give her employees a corporate MOT, after he eased her back woes at home.

Carole, 50, said: “It must have been about March this year when I began to notice that a lot of people coming into work were complaining of back problems.

“As their employer, I wanted this sorted because back problems are the biggest reason for people being off work.”

Physiotherapist Ross arrived and was able to see three of her employees, providing them with an answer to their discomforts or difficulties.

“Ross was great,” said Carole, chief executive of support company Entrepreneurs Forum. “He came to our offices in Newcastle with little more than his fold-away bench but was able to sort everyone out at our convenience.

“It meant there was no downtime and no absences, so I was obviously pleased everyone in the office was happy.”

Carole, who lives in Ponteland, is herself no stranger to back injuries. While running, she pulled one of the muscles in her lower back, leaving her in severe pain and unable to move her back.

Ross, who runs his own mobile practice called Therapy Direct, looked closely at the injury and asked her about the possible causes.

Postural stresses on her back at the office was putting the mum more at risk of suffering a sports injury in her free time.

Carole met Ross while at the races with her husband Mark, 48, and the physiotherapist was certain he could sort out the problem, so the couple arranged a home visit.

“The first session was a bit uncomfortable, which is to be expected but when Ross came back a couple of days later I felt a marked improvement,” said Carole. “I was soon back on my feet.”

Carole was pleased with the results, and that was why she arranged for Ross to come in and help her staff.

Susan Byrom, 42, from Blyth, was one of the employees introduced to Ross through her boss.

The mother-of-two, who works as operations manager of Carole’s company, had twisted her back three months earlier getting into her car when she caught her foot in the door.

Like Carole, Susan has had a history of back complaints. She began to have frequent back problems after a car accident 10 years ago.

Prior to being treated by Ross, Susan solved her back problems by using a chiropractor. This provided her with a quick-fix solution but the pain kept coming back.

“Whenever my back became unbearable I’d go to a chiropractor, they’d crack it a bit and I’d feel better for a while,” recalled Susan.

“But this didn’t solve the problem and was working out to be very costly.”

When Ross arrived he identified Susan’s problem as difficulties with her lower back and pelvis, with one sacro-iliac joint seizing up completely.

This was again a problem aggravated by the average seven hours a day she was spending sitting at her desk.

Susan said: “Everybody is different and by no means am I against chiropractic treatment, but I feel that physiotherapy can help just as well”.

Ross Tomkins explains that people need to appreciate that physio and chiropractic treatments are each individual disciplines working on slightly different knowledge bases, but their goals are the same.

“Different professions are helpful to different people with differing requirements,” adds the Teesside University graduate, 29. “Physiotherapy typically involves lots of time doing exercises which some people may not want or have the time to do, whereas chiropractic treatment can be more short-term.

“Susan was suffering with a sacro-iliac dysfunction. Treatment involved mobilisations, manipulations, soft-tissue release techniques and loads of advice and exercises.

“Carole’s thoraco-lumbar muscle strain was no less painful but responded quickly to soft tissue massage, advice and exercises. Both courses of treatment included postural advice and behaviour modification.

“Slouching and slumping is commonplace particularly in front of a computer or in the office, which combined with wedging the telephone between our neck and shoulder or constant mouse work unsurprisingly causes pain.”

For more information about Ross’ work contact Therapy Direct on (0191) 477 3776 or 0783 473 9798.