Toronto, ON, October 16, 2015 – The Canadian Chiropractic Association (CCA) is pleased to support World Spine Day 2015 today, as part of the Bone and Joint Decade’s Action Week. The theme of World Spine Day this year is “Your Back at Work”, focusing on the importance of education related to good spinal health and prevention of injuries in the workplace.
In light of World Spine Day last year, the CCA with the support of the 10 provincial associations launched the Straighten Up Canada app – a free easy-to-perform posture program that can take as little as three minutes a day – in the Apple App Store and Google Play. After many requests from BlackBerry users, we are thrilled to mark World Spine Day 2015 with the launch of the app in BlackBerry World. The Straighten Up Canada app aims to bring posture to the forefront of the minds of Canadians with simple preventative exercises to get people moving, and is poised for global impact. The CCA has also created a webpage www.worldspinedaycanada.ca to support the World Spine Day message, with free public resources available to assist with better back health and awareness of posture and ergonomics.
World Spine Day 2015 aims to bring awareness to the effects of sitting for long periods of time, which are wreaking havoc on the backs and general health of the public. Not to mention, the effects of heavy lifting and repetitive movement on workers in physical occupations. Lower back pain (LBP) and other musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions account for one-third of employee absenteeism in Canada and is quickly becoming an epidemic world-wide. World Spine Day brings together healthcare professionals, governments, educational institutions and those individuals with an interest in raising awareness of spinal health to share a public message every year on October 16.
“Over 80 per cent of adults will suffer with back pain at some point in their lives, many citing their work as being a major cause” says Dr. Robert David, Chair, Canadian Chiropractic Association. “The World Spine Day theme this year is on the mark as employers and employees must address this epidemic and make their spinal health a priority today to avoid the potential negative effects down the road that may impact their quality of life.”
Alison Dantas, Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Chiropractic Association, echo’s Dr. David’s sentiment saying “In our fast paced society it is not uncommon for Canadians to sit for up 65 to 75% of their working hours. Taking a few minutes a day to be mindful of your posture and incorporate movement can help prevent or minimize the effects of our daily routines.”
To learn about how you can participate in World Spine Day, visit www.worldspinedaycanada.ca or contact the Canadian Chiropractic Association at 1-877-222-9303 or info@chiropractic.ca.
About the Canadian Chiropractic Association
The Canadian Chiropractic Association (CCA) is a national association representing 7,800 of Canada’s 9,000 licensed doctors of chiropractic. Approximately four and a half million Canadians use the services of a chiropractor each year. The CCA advocates on behalf of members and their patients to advance the quality and accessibility of chiropractic care in Canada, and to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the healthcare system. For more information on the CCA or for a referral to a doctor of chiropractic, please visit www.chiropractic.ca.
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