Physios urged to tell the world about their expertise in treating low back pain on 8 September
You have a little more than a week to make plans to tell the world about your role in treating low back pain (LBP) and the role of physiotherapy in managing and preventing it. Treating LBP is the theme of this year’s World PT Day, which is being celebrated by World Physiotherapy, its member bodies, physio teams and individuals on 8 September.
Tracy Bury is World Physiotherapy’s acting chief executive. Former chief executive Jonathon Kruger, a physiotherapist by background, left in May and now holds a similar post at the Australian Dental Councill.
The campaign will highlight the fact that LBP is the major cause of disability globally, with 619 million people having experienced LBP in 2020 – one person in 13.
LBP can be experienced at any age, and almost everyone will experience it at some time in their life. However, it only becomes chronic (lasting more than 3 months) for a minority. Nine cases in 10 of LBP are non-specific, this means there is no one specific structure (joint, muscle, ligament or disc, for example) that can be found to cause it, and it is not due to a serious or specific underlying disease.
World Physiotherapy, which is based in London, is keen to promote the message that physiotherapists provide expert advice, guidance and treatment for LBP. 'They will help to improve your overall health and wellbeing, while reducing your chances of future episodes,' its publicity material for the day stresses.
'In all types and at all stages of LBP, rehabilitation is essential to reassure people and help you make sense of your pain, help support recovery, return to activities you enjoy and maintain independence in daily living,' it notes.
Campaign information: physiotherapists are specialists in the care of LBP, and can offer tailored treatment, including
- education programmes that support knowledge and self-care strategies
- physiotherapist-supervised exercise programmes
- physiotherapy interventions, such as manual therapy
- exercise has been shown to be the most helpful treatment for LBP. One type of exercise doesn’t appear to be better than any other – remaining active and doing it regularly is the most important. Your physiotherapist will help you find an exercise that’s right for you
World PT Day toolkit
The World PT Day toolkit includes a range of materials to share the campaign, such as
- information sheets posters pop-up roller banner designs
- advocacy toolkit activities guide t-shirt design
- graphics to share on social media
World Physiotherapy thanked Kieran O’Sullivan, Adrien Mounier-Poulat, Basil Lafitte Houssat, Yan Duhourcau, and Saurab Sharma for their help in the production of the materials for World PT Day 2024.
In all types and at all stages of LBP, rehabilitation is essential to reassure people and help you make sense of your pain, help support recovery, return to activities you enjoy and maintain independence in daily living
- Download and post one of the ready-made graphics below with messages from the World PT Day 2024 campaign
- Follow World Physiotherapy on Twitter @WorldPhysio1951 and RT its messages
- Follow World Physiotherapy on Facebook and Instagram and Like and Share our postings
- Use the hashtag #WorldPTDay
Share it with
