Back

Back in the 1970s, I hurt my back and the doctor sent me to back school. It was a series of eight or 10 sessions with a physical therapist who taught me proper posture, good work and sleep habits. She gave me lots of information, help, and support. Now my son has hurt his back. When I suggested he find a back school program, he said they don't exist anymore. Is that true?

Back school is a prevention and education program to help patients understand and care for their backs. Information about anatomy, posture, lifting, and exercise is presented over a period of weeks to months. The goal is to raise patients' awareness of their own bodies and increase their ability to function in everyday life. It's usually presented to a group of people rather than on a one-on-one basis. Exercises are part of the program. Most back schools are taught by a physical therapist or other trained health care professional. Back schools are still around, though they may not be called back school. The daily program or intense six-week program of the 1970s and 1980s has been replaced by a shorter course of instruction. Patients meet with a physical therapist for one to four sessions spread out over several weeks to a month. Some programs are extended up to eight weeks. An example of this is the Back Care Boot Camp. The Back Care Boot Camp program is designed to be used with a physical therapist as a guide. The program consists of eight formal sessions of physical therapy and usually takes about four weeks to complete. The program is designed to educate the patient about the importance of spine health. It also teaches ways to energize muscles again to protect the back and reduce the chances of having a future problem. Back Care Boot Camp gives immediate guidance to help head off potential long-term problems before they occur. You can find out more information about this program on this website www.backcarebootcamp.com.

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