The Feedbackpack shirt gently reminds the wearer to straighten up, a key component to prevent and heal back injuries. Back belts do not prevent back injuries, one of the reasons is that people rely on them to force better posture, however their muscles eventually weaken and they still injure themselves. Back disorders are one of the most common and expensive work place injuries, and are often caused by long term bad posture habits. The Feedbackpack shirt re-teaches posture, builds core strength making it an critical tool for injury rehabilitation and prevention.

Posture is key to prevent and heal back injuries

Proper posture, conditioning and body mechanics are the key components of any program designed to prevent back injuries, according to Diane Braza, MD, Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Medical College of Wisconsin. She is also clinical director of MCW’s Spine Care Clinic “Up to 80% of Americans will suffer back pain at some point in their lives,” Dr. Braza says. “The cause of back pain in about 90% of cases is strain or sprain of back muscles, ligaments or soft tissue. These conditions generally heal completely, but often recur if prevention strategies are not used.” Back pain in the remaining 10% of cases is due to more serious conditions such as degenerative disk disease or herniated disks in the spine. However, even these cases may be prevented – or treated – with proper posture, conditioning and body mechanics.



Back Belts do not prevent injury

http://archives.cnn.com/2000/HEALTH/12/05/back.belts/index.html



Back injuries are very common

National healthcare statistics: In the United States, back disorders account for over 24 percent of all occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work, according to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health’s (NIOSH) Worker Health Chartbook, 2004. In healthcare, back injuries, frequently caused by overexertion, occur at a very high rate. Healthcare industry workers sustain 4.5 times more overexertion injuries than any other type of worker. (See the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2000.) According to national statistics, six of the top 10 professions at greatest risk for back injury are: nurse’s aides, licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, health aides, radiology technicians, and physical therapists. Greater than one third of back injuries among nurses are attributed to handling patients and the frequency with which they are required to manually move patients. From a worldwide perspective, back injuries to nurses have point prevalence of approximately 17 percent, an annual prevalence of 40–50 percent and a lifetime prevalence of 35-80 percent. (See A Business Case for Patient Care Ergonomic Interventions, 2005). As staggering as these statistics are, they still do not tell the whole story. According to Bernice Owen, RN, Ph.D., former professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Nursing, as many as one-third of nurses who sustain work-related back injuries do not even report them. (See Caring for Ourselves, by Bernice Owen.)



Caused or aggravated by a lifetime of bad habits

Cumulative trauma disorders : Most work-related musculoskeletal injuries occur from cumulative injuries, and are therefore called “cumulative trauma disorders” (CTDs). For example, overexerting the spine - from lifting improperly or lifting patients that are too heavy for the worker’s back to support - may cause micro-tears in the spinal disks. Because these small injuries do not cause pain, the employee is usually not aware the disk has been damaged. If not allowed to heal, the damage may build up and result in a bulging or ruptured disk, creating a cumulative injury marked by pain. (See the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA’s) Back Disorders and Injuries.)



Recognition of CTDs:
While a serious injury may seem to be caused by a single, well-defined incident, the real cause is often the specific injury coupled with years of repetitive micro-trauma. Because of the slow and progressive onset of internal weakening and damage, the condition is often ignored until the symptoms become severe, and lead to a disabling injury. (See OSHA’s Back Disorders and Injuries.)