Backrack - Back Pain Tool
By Benjamin John Ensall on JULY 18, 2017
Back pain. Sound familiar? Throughout our lives the vast majority of us encounter some type of back, hip or other aggravating joint pain which can leave us feeling frustrated, irritable and lethargic. Therefore to try to combat these problems before they arise, let’s introduce you to a new, unique and special tool, the ‘Backrack’, created by Bogdan Luklinski, one of the UK’s leading specialists in Orthopaedic spinal rehabilitation. This unique piece of equipment is one of a kind and is designed to be similar in shape to a healthy human spine. The Director of Spinal Back Rack Ltd also has a specialist spinal clinic just off the famous Harley Street in London. Although the team are small in size, they have one big vision: dispelling back pain and their myths forever. Read on for our review…
Rationale
The spine is ‘S shaped’ and contains consistent curves to maintain a ‘neutral alignment’. These normal curvatures of the spine provide stability and balance whilst also allowing us to move in various directions. The movements possible at the spine are flexion (bending forward) extension (leaning back), lateral flexion (bending sideways) and rotation (twisting). When looking at the causes and treatments of back pain, it is important that we understand the structure and shape of the spinal column. Whilst these spinal deviations can occur naturally with age, they can also be caused by muscular over compensations. However, some individuals suffer from spinal deviations or changes in shape. These can include; Kyphosis- excessive curvature of the upper part of the spine or ‘hunchback’; Lordosis – excessive curvature of the lower part of the spine and Scoliosis- an ‘S’ shaped spine in the frontal plane.
Design
The design, as previously mentioned, resembles a happy, healthy spine but in a slightly more structured form. The rack itself waves up and down consistently in a straight, solid line and from a sideways glance the rack adopts an ‘S’ like-shape. The rack is then enclosed within a frame to help provide support and maintain the position of the rack as well as providing stability on the chosen surface area of use, (i.e. floor).
Build
When you are dealing with the vertebrae, stability is essential and the same applies to the equipment that is used to relieve the tension of the muscles surrounding the spine. This is because if pressure is applied and there is no structured support, the likelihood of misalignment and further injury will dramatically increase. The build of the Backrack is strong, thick and compact like the giant ‘Horse of Troy’ and ensures that like a good Greek army, you aren’t falling out of line thus keeping your back in neutral alignment leaving you ready to commence your battle with muscular tension and pain.
Performance
If you suffer really badly from back pain, the Backrack may be difficult for you to use at the beginning as it’s best used on the floor and therefore requires you to get down on the ground in a safe and controlled fashion. Once there, the key is to edge slowly to the bottom of the rack and sit gently on the wooden ridge, lie back until the spherical wooden balls position themselves on each side of your spine, the spine suspended between the wooden nodules, all the way to the neck. From this point, just as you would on a sunny vacation in Barbados, the idea is to bring the body down to the rest of the rack, lie back, relax and keep your knees bent. At first, you may experience mild discomfort due to the solidity of the wood on the muscles and tendons, but after a while the minor discomfort seems to disappear allowing the body to ease into place. The great thing is you can use the product for a range of back and neck issues and their associated symptoms and by following the manual can concentrate on thoracic, lumbar or cervical areas via the specific exercises. After spending 5 minutes on the back rack, my body definitely felt lighter. The next day, whilst I did feel a little bit tender, the same way as after seeing a specialist I did also feel much better and believe that if I used this product consistently, my posture and alignment would only improve and gradually alleviate any back pain I’ve been experiencing, due to the decompression taking place.
Value
Taking care of your spine is very important. Misalignment can cause unnecessary nerve problems which in turn result in irritating back pain that can hinder both your movement and QOL (quality of life). A regular appointment with a trained chiropractic or other spine specialist can cost anywhere from £40-£120 per session. Whilst this does give you one to one treatment with a healthcare professional, the cost can really add up. The Backrack is priced at £225 and whilst you do not get a trained masseuse with the package, you do receive instructions and tips from Bogdan Luklinski himself. Additionally, from testing the product myself, it does appear to be very sturdy and durable and therefore should last you decades.
At the moment, if you’d like to ‘double up’ and really tackle your spinal problems, Spinal Back Rack Ltd are also introducing their Backrack lumbar belt into the mix which can be used as a daily support to help alleviate tension and reduce stiffness in the lower back. Normally, the price of the belt is £125 but combined with the Backrack the total is a reasonable £300, saving you a decent chunk of £50.
Summary
Overall, I believe that this is a good and useful product. It may take a little bit of time to adjust to using it, but once a person can understand and execute the techniques effectively, it should prove very beneficial in helping to reduce muscular tension surrounding the spine. Whilst it isn’t the cheapest product, (it is designed with 45 years clinical experience, is CE marked and patented) if you care about your spinal health and want to decrease the likelihood of suffering from uncomfortable back pain in the future, this product is definitely worth the investment. This piece of apparatus is definitely worthwhile in combatting those niggling spinal nuisances and also adds a funky, embellished, one-of-a-kind ornament to your cosy home.
Benjamin Ensall
Benjamin is an advocate of the health and wellbeing lifestyle and the positive impact it can make on people’s lives. He has national and international experience as a Senior Personal Trainer, Food Psychology Behaviour Coach and Healthcare Technician and strives to make a difference. He helps facilitate the realisation of one’s potential to achieve a happier and healthier life.