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Back Schools or Other Forms of Back Education

Many healthcare facilities that specialize in spinecare offer educational programs to sufferers of subacute or chronic back pain. These programs are often referred to as back schools. A back school typically consists of regular meetings attended by 2 to 20 individuals who have a back problem. The meetings are often supervised by a spine physician or other spine specialists such as a physical therapist. During the back school program, individuals are typically introduced to relevant spine anatomy and to the common causes of back pain. The courses often cover lifestyle modifications and steps that need to be taken to prevent progressive or recurrent back pain. Individuals are asked to wear comfortable clothes so that basic exercises can be performed. Specialty spine centers are more likely to offer back schools than general care facilities. Back schools include instruction in proper lifting techniques and review ergonomic considerations to help reduce over-use injury. Most spine experts agree that people who learn how to properly lift, push and pull are less likely to injure their back.