A revolutionary new website designed to help back pain sufferers in Sheffield has been launched.
Sheffieldbackpain.com is an online resource providing useful information and advice for people with back pain, with the aim of helping people to control and prevent the problem from occurring.
The site features exercise videos with local physiotherapists, advice for employers on how to manage staff members with back pain and video clips of famous faces such as BBC Radio Sheffield presenter Toby Foster and Sheffield MP David Blunkett sharing their experiences of back pain.
Back pain is an extremely common problem in the UK, with eight out of ten people suffering from it at some point in their lives.
The new website is part of a raft of new measures that are being implemented by NHS Sheffield, with support from Sheffield’s GP consortia, to improve the care received by back pain sufferers in the city.
Alongside the website, there will also be service changes implemented such as a new specialist back pain team of healthcare professionals including physiotherapists, occupational health practitioners, sports injury specialists, chiropractors and osteopaths, who will operate in community settings.
Dr Ollie Hart, chronic pain specialist with Central Sheffield GP Consortium, said: “The launch of Sheffieldbackpain.com is very exciting for the people of Sheffield.
“Most people suffer from back pain at some point during their lives, so to have a city-wide online resource that gives people professional help and advice is great.
“Back pain can be extremely painful and can make everyday activities such as work or cleaning the house seem impossible – but not a lot of people know that the best way to tackle the problem is to keep moving and to continue with day to day life as much as possible – so that’s what we are trying to get across.
“By visiting the site and following the simple advice provided, we hope that the people of Sheffield will be able to take control of their own health and manage their back pain effectively.”
The site also provides information for healthcare professionals, allowing the city’s GPs and physiotherapists to access a range of online tools and resources.
Dr Hart added: “Sheffieldbackpain.com has been put together by the people of Sheffield, for the people of Sheffield to make a positive difference to the lives of the huge amount of people living in the city with back pain.”
Kate Gleave NHS Sheffield lead for developing back pain services said: “Sheffieldbackpain.com will provide a fantastic resource for patients and healthcare professionals across the city.
“The website forms a crucial part of the new developments in back pain care that we are leading across the city, which will ensure that patients in Sheffield are treated as quickly as possible by the most appropriate professionals and closer to their homes”.
For more information, please visit www.sheffieldbackpain.com