Preventing MSDs through technology

MSDs are a leading cause of occupational ill health in Great Britain, accounting for 30% of all work-related ill health cases and 27% of lost working days. Affecting 14.9 million people nationally, MSDs cost the NHS over £5 billion per-year for treatment and support. As a growing issue that exists in many work environments, the FLX app empowers individuals to self-manage low grade pain and injuries through behavioural change and correcting biomechanical function, reducing the need for face-to-face and online physiotherapy appointments.  The FLX app will also help employers boost productivity, reduce sick days and keep their workforce healthy, happy and active

The FLX app works in two ways, accelerating the process of recovery, and preventing injury by detecting and correcting biomechanical issues. For example, during a three-month trial conducted with the South Yorkshire Police Force, MSDs were reduced by 64% and the rate of absenteeism due to MSDs was reduced from 43 to 18 days per month. This trial amongst 237 police workers, resulted in savings of £65,000 a year. When scaled across all staff within the Force, the calculated savings could reach £1.4m a year. In a similar trial with 480 workers at Dorset Fire and Rescue Service, days lost due to low level back pain reduced by 52%.

The FLX app is available via subscription on mobile devices. Users can opt to use the Pain Programme to aid existing problems through corrective exercises and self-management advice or the Biomechanics Programme to help prevent future pain and injuries. The app uses clinically proven algorithms developed over 15 years to identify an individual’s biomechanical profile through a series of screening tests to suggest a course of personalised physiotherapy exercises. The app learns and adjusts the programme to address users’ continuously evolving biomechanical needs.

For more information, visit www.arco.co.uk/expert-advice/musculoskeletal-disorders