75% of the South West is suffering from bone and joint pain, The British Chiropractic Association has found.

The study also found that in the South West:

• A quarter of people (25%) have had to take up to five months off work due to their back and joint pains
• A half (50%) of people have lived with bone and joint pain for longer than 12-months
• Nearly a quarter (23%) haven't seen a GP to treat their bone and joint pain as they struggled to get an appointment

As part of this year's Back Care Awareness Week (3-7 October), the British Chiropractic Association (BCA) is empowering people to look after their backs and joints through simple lifestyle changes, after finding that nearly three quarters (75%) of the South West are struggling with back pain on a daily basis. 

In the South West is investing its efforts into preventative care, with 62% using exercise to manage their back and joint pain, the research found.

Chiropractor and President of the BCA, Catherine Quinn, shares her simple and quick tips to help manage your aches and pains:

1.         Take a stand: Inactivity is a leading cause of back pain. If you spend most of your day sitting down, make sure that you take regular breaks, ideally every 20-30 minutes. Stand up, change position and walk around a little.

2.       Stretch it out: If you struggle to get away from your seat at work, simple activities such as stretching, shoulder shrugging or even fidgeting in your seat can help to keep your back in line.

3.       Get active: Exercise is key to a healthy back. This doesn't mean that you need to embark on any extreme fitness regimes. Adding just a few extra minutes of walking a day can hugely benefit your back health.

4.       Check your workspace: If your job primarily involves sitting at a desk and staring at a computer for hours at a time, make sure your workspace is set up to support a comfortable position. This is different for everyone, so if you don't feel comfortable in your current set up, try altering the height of your chair or screen.

5.       Straighten Up!: Try incorporating some simple exercises into your daily routine. The BCA has developed a series of simple exercises designed to improve your posture and prevent back pain by promoting balance strength and flexibility in the spine.