Trends in Healthcare

Today I attended the Employee Benefits Connect event to find out about the latest trends in employee benefits.  Quite a few speakers identified the growth of onsite well-being services like the Vitality Breaks services I provide, as the number one healthcare issue in companies right now and for the next few years.

The key conditions that are driving the growth of well-being services are:

  1. Diabetes
  2. Heart Disease
  3. High Blood Pressure
  4. Back Pain

We all know that back pains is common, episodic, often recurrent and generally self limiting.  Long term absence form work is greatest amongst the minority of employees whose conditions is chronic (if the pains lasts for more than 12 weeks) or is recurrent (if there are several episodes of pain in one year lasting less than 6 months).  Most people who are effected by back pain either remain in work or return to work promptly.  About 85% of people with back pain take less than seven days off work.

In a survey reported by the London Work Foundation it identified that 9.6 million workers are regularly affected by back pain.  In addition the London Work Foundation has identified that musculoskeletal conditions comprise about 55 %of all work-related illness throughout the UK compared to stress being responsible for 30 per cent of work-related illness, that figure drops to 31% when you focus only non-manual workers.    This makes musculoskeletal conditions the top reason for long term absence from work in the UK for non-manual workers.

So why am I quoting all these statistics, because despite speakers talking about trends in healthcare being driven by amongst other things back pain and clear evidence that musculoskeletal conditions are the number one reason for absence there was no mention of solutions.  Go figure!!!!

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  • Back Stretches

    These stretches can either be done as a complete series or individually.  The aim of stretching is to relax the muscles so it should never be painful. Each stretch should be held for 15 seconds and repeated twice.  Ideally you should stretch daily. Back

    • Clasp elbows in front of your body at shoulder height, making big circles in front of you - push out and look down.  This will stretch your upper back.
    • Lie on your back and raise your legs with your knees bent and hands palms down at right angles to your body.  Move your legs over to one side of your body keeping your knees together and bent.  Repeat for the other side of your body.
    • Lie on your back with your arms at right angles to your body.  Raise a leg with your knee bent and let it drop over to the other side of your body.  Now repeat on the other side.
    • Kneel on all fours, then sit back with your buttocks on your heels and your head on the floor and your hands outstretched in front of you (child pose for those who know yoga).  This will stretch your entire spine.
    • Kneel on all fours, look down whilst arching your back upwards (like a cat) hold for 15 seconds, then slowly drop your back down and stretch your head up and hold for 15 seconds.
    • Lie on your back with your right knee up keeping your foot on the ground.  Place your left ankle on your right knee, letting your left knee drop outwards.  Clasp your hands below your right knee and pull towards your body, this will stretch out your gluteals.   Now repeat on the other side.
    • Lie on your stomach with your arms by your side and gently raise your head slightly.  If these feels comfortable then you can also raise your feet of the ground and raise your arms above your head in from of you.  This is very strengthening and especially good for people with straight backs.