Cardiff University launch platform to help manage back pain in the workplace and whilst working from home

BACK-on-LINE^TM is a digital online platform designed to help people better manage low back pain in the workplace and whilst working from home.

The platform has been developed by a Cardiff University team of academics from the School of Healthcare Sciences, the School of Engineering and the Data Innovation Research Institute in collaboration with physiotherapists and occupational health managers from Cardiff and Vale and Aneurin Bevan UHB.  The project has further support from Cardiff University Biomechanics and Bioengineering Centre Versus Arthritics.

This innovative project is being funded by the Department of Work and Pensions and Department of Health and Social Care Health and Work Unit Health Challenge Fund.

BACK-on-LINE^TM is being launched across all NHS Wales and Cardiff University workforce to evaluate its feasibility and acceptability in providing early individualised advice and guidance to better manage low back pain in the workplace and whilst working from home.

Liba Sheeran, Reader at School of Healthcare Sciences and Consultant Physiotherapist for Welsh Athletics who leads on this project said "It has been a long journey to get to this point but the joint-effort from all the team has finally paid off! We managed to develop a great platform for people to improve their understanding of their back problem and learn how to better manage it to improve their pain in the short term as well as given themselves ‘a way out’ to better and more active future in their work as well as personal life".

If you are an NHS Wales or a Cardiff University staff member and struggling with back pain at work or when working at home, you can access our first fully functional BACK-on-LINE^TM prototype with free online access at www.backonline.org.uk

Where you’ll be able to:

1. Fill in a self-assessment
2. Receive feedback on your back pain
3. Get free access to an individualised back pain, management guidance, techniques and exercises
4. Give us feedback after 4-weeks of using BACK-on-LINE^TM

You can also see more detailed information about BACK-on-LINE^TM from our Onclick collaborators here.

For more information you can access our social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.