(lifepr) (Selsingen, 04.12.2014) We spend an average of seven hours a day sitting down; one in three gainfully employed persons even manage nine hours a day, according to the results of the Forsa Exercise Study conducted on behalf of the Techniker Krankenkasse.¹ But evolution tells us that sitting puts the body in an unnatural posture; what's more, scarcely any average office worker sits on an ergonomic office chair. It is therefore no great surprise that tension, strains and backache count among the most frequent complaints dealt with by orthopaedic specialists and general practitioners in Germany. It is above all the neck muscles together with the para-spinal muscles around the lumbar spine that are most frequently affected by tension and strains resulting from incorrect posture.

Incorrect strain on the muscles makes them stiff and hinders optimum blood circulation so that they start to hurt. Another problem is that those who are affected tend to adopt a restrictive posture to "avoid" the pain. But in many cases this simply serves to make the problems even worse. Painkillers are not always the best choice because they only help in the short term and can cause side effects when used for a longer period of time. However, there is a simple, effective solution for those searching for natural pain relief: heat.

Heat has an almost directly noticeable effect on the strained muscles and the pain recedes. There has meanwhile been plenty of research into why heat develops this beneficial effect. It stimulates the blood circulation and ensures that the muscles relax. The heat stimulus is also forwarded to the brain where it signalises that the pain is receding.

Not every kind of heat is equally effective
But not every type of heat is equally valuable in therapeutic terms. Effective therapeutic heat has to fulfil a few highly specific criteria. Important aspects include for example a persistently constant temperature of 40°C with a slow heating-up process. Two other aspects are very significant. On the one hand it is important that the heat acts only locally at the affected site. On the other hand, the heat should penetrate through to the lower lying muscles and the connective tissues as well as just the upper layers of skin. The heat wraps by ThermaCare® for the lower back, for the neck and ThermaCare® for flexible use fulfil all these criteria; this year they have been awarded the AGR seal of approval in combination with physiotherapy or attendance at a back school.

How the heat is generated
The heat wraps reach the ideal therapeutic heat of 40°C and can hold it over 8-12 hours thanks to a special technology. Heat cells filled with iron powder, salt, activated carbon and water are integrated in the heat wrap tissue. As soon as the envelops are opened, the contents react with the oxygen in the ambient air. The oxidation process generates heat; the target temperature is reached after an initial heating-up phase of about half an hour. One particularly user-friendly aspect is that everyone can use the heat wraps when and where they want. After they have been used, they can be disposed of quite simply as normal domestic waste.

Heat and exercise: using the synergetic effects
While heat triggers immediate pain relief, exercise makes a longer-term contribution to preventing new tension and strains. An ideal solution therefore combines both components as a lasting way to counteract backache. The synergetic effects of physiotherapy or back school and heat wraps for treating acute muscular tension and strains are so great that the AGR also explicitly recommends that both measures should be combined. Specific exercises to strengthen the back help to build up the muscles. The muscles support and stabilise the spinal column, relieving the pressure on the joints. Heat application can further enhance the positive effects of physiotherapy. This has been verified among others by studies carried out by Professor Dr. Jürgen Freiwald from the University of Wuppertal.

About the AGR and the seal of approval
"Fighting backache together" - that is the motto of the Campaign for Healthier Backs (AGR). Together with information, explanations and networking with regard to all aspects of endemic backache, the AGR also awards the "certified & recommended" seal of approval to back-friendly everyday products as a useful decision-making aid for consumers. The German consumer magazine ÖKO-Test has already given the seal the "very good" accolade because the certified products have to be classified as particularly back-friendly by several independent expert bodies. In combination with back school or physiotherapy, the AGR seal of approval has also been awarded to the ThermaCare® heat wraps for the lower back, the heat wraps for the neck and ThermaCare® for flexible use.

¹ http://www.tk.de/..., retrieved on 07.11.2014


IN BRIEF
For centuries it has been a known fact that heat can alleviate muscular pain, tension and strains. However, it is important that the heat penetrates into the lower lying layers of muscles and tissue, rather than acting just on the surface. A persistently constant temperature of 40°C is the ideal heat for therapeutic purposes. The AGR seal of approval has been awarded to the ThermaCare® heat wraps for the lower back, the heat wraps for the neck and ThermaCare® for flexible use in combination with back school or physiotherapy.