Bristol in top ten cities for bad backs

People in Bristol were one of the cities quizzed about their posture and backs in new research by the British Chiropractic Association (BCA).

Over half the UK population think they have bad posture, and in the last two years this has risen from 38 per cent of the population to 56 per cent.

Belfast, Plymouth, Cardiff, Southampton and Liverpool all beat Bristol for poor posture. Glasgow, Leeds, Edinburgh and Nottingham came below, having less slouchers.

In light of the results, the BCA is urging the nation to take steps to improve posture and protect their backs.

Of all the people questioned, 72 per cent suffered from back pain at some point, with nearly a third of the population still suffering.

From the British Chiropractic Association Tim Hutchful said: “Year on year our posture seems to be getting worse and back pain figures are rising, suggesting that the two go hand in hand. With the population in an apparent sedentary lifestyle spiral, we are fast becoming a nation of slouch potatoes, and it is taking a massive toll on our health.”

“Poor posture can have health implications and we want to work towards reducing the incidence of back pain. By making just a few lifestyle changes, people can help to improve their posture, take care of their spine and help themselves look and feel their best. And the good news is, it
really requires minimum of effort, just three minutes a day can make the world of difference.”

The BCA has put together a simple exercise routine that can be incorporated into people’s daily lives to help improve posture and strengthen the spine.

The routine called Straighten up the UK, is available to download from the internet.

www.straightenupuk.org