The back and spine

Information and tips for dealing with back pain

Dear readers,

The human back supports the upper body and head, is often used to carry loads such as shopping or when moving a closet, and it gives us stability and makes us strong. It is not until something goes wrong and our back stops cooperating that most of us realize just how much we expect of our back and take it for granted. If we put our back under excessive strain or constantly use it in the wrong way, we generally end up with a back complaint, which could be anything from lumbago or severe tension to a problem with the sacroiliac joint. But how exactly does a typical back condition come about and what can we do to prevent it? How can we strengthen our back so that it can make us strong? In our new back dossier, you will find answers to many questions as well as all sorts of tips and tricks for the back. We hope you enjoy it – and keep moving!

Best regards, Your team of experts at Bauerfeind AG

The most common back injuries and back conditions

Slipped disk

Severe pain and restricted mobility – a slipped disk and its consequences.

Lumbago/ Low back pain

Lumbago can strike anyone of any age – and usually with no warning at all.

Hyperlordosis or "hollow back"

When the back forms a pronounced “S” shape, it is often hollow back that is the problem. There can be many different reasons for this.

Sacroiliac joint dysfunction

What is the best remedy for sacroiliac joint pain and what causes it in the first place?

Chronic low back pain

Chronic low back pain is one of the most common conditions in Germany.

Back tension

After a long day at work, we sometimes feel completely done in – and our back often feels just the same way.

Pelvic girdle instability

There are many causes of pelvic girdle instability, but pregnancy is the most common one by far.

Frequently Asked Questions/FAQs

A back support can only be really effective and provide you with optimal support during sport or everyday activities if it fits perfectly and provides targeted stabilization, massage, or relief for the painful area as the condition requires. There is a huge and varied selection of support types and sizes available, but not all will be suited to your symptoms or personal requirements.

Before acquiring a back support, you should always seek advice from your local expert – your medical supply retailer – as this is the only way to ensure maximum comfort and optimum results. Your local contact can pick out a back support for your individual needs – for the best possible comfort and successful therapy. Nowadays, of course, supports can also be ordered online – but don’t forget that a support is a medical aid that is designed to make substantial improvements to your state of health,  and a back support that is perfectly fitted will be most effective in achieving this.

Back supports are available without a prescription, so you can buy one from your local medical supply retailer, even if you don’t have a prescription. Just remember that you will have to pay the full price of the new support yourself if you don’t have a prescription, so it may be worth a trip to see your physician first. If your physician thinks that you need a back support, you will be given a prescription for the medical aid and will only need to pay the co-payment (depending on the product and prescription). 

The cost of a back support prescribed by a physician is paid by the health insurance company – so all you need to pay is a small co-payment. The actual amount of the co-payment depends on the product and the conditions of the prescription. You can also purchase a back support from your local medical supply retailer without a prescription, but you will then need to pay the full cost yourself.

A back orthosis is recommended for some complaints and a back support for others – and there are good reasons for this. You can find out more about the difference between a support and an orthosis here.

You can wash your back support in the washing machine at 30°C. In fact, it is important to do this regularly to maintain the compression of the knitted fabric. Remove the back pad before washing the support and wash the pad by hand. Close the Velcro fastenings. Make sure that the spin cycle does not exceed 500 rpm. It is best to use a liquid detergent and a lingerie bag, as this protects the structure and shape of your support.

We recommend drying your back support in the fresh air rather than using a tumble dryer. You should also avoid direct heat, e.g. a radiator, sunlight, or in your car. Please refer to the care instructions on the support’s sewn-in label. This can be found on the inner part of the support.

It is easy to forget that a back support is not just designed to provide support – its primary function is to help the body find its way back to pain-free movement. Supports are therefore designed to be both stabilizing and flexible; they provide massage and relief, and alleviate pain. And that’s not all: they boost proprioception and the sensorimotor system too.

However, a back support can only provide these benefits if it is worn in direct contact with the body. Wear the back support over a T-shirt or undershirt, but not over your outer layers of clothing (pants, sweater), since this makes the support less effective and prevents it from performing its full function. We therefore strongly advise against wearing the support over clothing.