Wearable Tech to Help Fight Back Pain Caused by Sedentary Lifestyles

Back pain is frustratingly widespread. Eight out of ten people will be affected by back pain at least once in their lives1. This is not only true for those working in physically demanding occupations (e.g. health workers, transport, construction). It also affects those who spend most of their time sitting down, either at a desk or driving some form of a vehicle (train drivers, lorry drivers, etc.)

Man wearing Percko Vest hidden by shirt.

Professionals who work from home, with less ergonomic equipment than is available in an office space, and fewer breaks than usual, often experience back aches and tensions. They’re not alone in this affliction either as less obviously sedentary professions such as hairdressers and dentists suffer from similar levels of pain. Think about the hours spent in a chair bending over patients or clients. Even activities as common as looking down at a mobile phone also tilt the head forward and cause muscles in the back and neck to become fatigued more quickly.

Jonathan Sabah, resident Osteopath at PERCKO explains: “We know that musculoskeletal disorders are multifactorial. Stress is an important risk factor, as is a sedentary lifestyle. Indeed, the body is naturally built to move. Prolonged static positions lead to the stiffening of joints and tissues, they result in muscle contractions and inflammations. They also lead to poorer blood circulation. To reduce these risks, movement is key.”

What can we do to ensure that we maintain healthy postural habits when we are most stressed or have a long day of work ahead of us?

The idea of a smart second-skin as a posture reminder

In response to the back pain his father experienced as a dentist from hours spent hunching over his patients, Alexis Ucko, founded PERCKO alongside Quentin Perraudeau. As engineers, they wanted to collaborate with health professionals including osteopaths, physiotherapists, and experts in biomechanics, to find a simple and effective solution to reduce spinal pain (neck pain, back pain, lower back pain) by stimulating an engaged posture.

Alexis Ucko and Quentin Perraudeau, Founders of Percko

The next step was to form partnerships with textile innovation specialists in order to make certain that their discreet undershirt was made from only the highest quality, durable, breathable and lightweight fabric. During this process, they also ensured it was made to be machine washable.

This ultimately led to the development of Lyne UP, a tech-embedded lightweight vest. It functions using a system of elasticated tensors. Strategically positioned on the upper body, these vests work in two distinct ways: on the shoulders to open the chest and on the lower back to align the spine and the pelvis. They stimulate the muscles for an active and engaged posture, thus reducing slouching.

As a result, it strengthens the core muscles and contributes to long-term back health improvements and back pain relief. This differs from systems that were overly complex or restrictive, often providing short-term pain relief but leading to muscle atrophy in the long term.

Lyne technology, which underpins the Lyne UP, has undergone rigorous testing and was registered as a medical device after years of independent studies and research. This included six studies conducted on over 4,400 testers which showed an 86% satisfaction rate and 72,5% reporting a reduction in pain.

Lyne UP proved popular and soon the range of Lyne products grew to include Lyne UP, the everyday vest; Lyne FIT, the sports T-shirt; Lyne HOME, the jacket for at home; Lyne PRO, the vest for professionals.

Rear view of man wearing PERCKO vest whilst working at desk.

PERCKO’s Users Are the Company’s Best Advocates

As proven by PERCKO’s ‘Excellent’ rating on Trustpilot, they took no shortcuts in designing, developing, and manufacturing their products, and continue to work diligently to provide their customers with industry-leading care. PERCKO also works directly with businesses and is now trusted by over 2,000 companies worldwide to support the wellbeing of their employees.

Happy relaxed woman wearing Percko vest

A Solution Validated by Professionals

PERCKO continues to test and discuss its products with healthcare professionals. Developing an industry-leading product is not a static process and inputs or feedback from experts is the key to making the best product possible. Here are some of the comments and reviews that PERCKO has received:

 

'Poor posture can result in pain including joint or muscle issues and, with prolonged problems, maybe even impact on the digestive and respiratory systems.

So a product that is engineered to offer gentle and natural feeling support to hold the body in a better position has the potential to make a dramatic difference to one’s quality of life. The Lyne Up shirt assists in this and does so without limiting natural joint movement or allowing muscles to weaken. It serves as a constant reminder and an aid towards improved postural habits and so could make a big difference to some wearers.'

Claire Webster, Osteopath, Chelmsford - Member of the UK General Osteopathic Council

 

'I tried it on myself, and I found it really comfortable which is the first thing for me.

I felt that it had pressure on the right places. I think if a product like that, can help people realise where they are meant to be on a day-to-day basis and prevent them coming too far forward, then, they are going to get better quicker, they are going to feel less pain, they are more likely to do their exercises as well. And no one wants to be in pain with that kind of issues, so I think it’s a really good product.'

Jeff Ross, Physiotherapist, Harris & Ross, Manchester

 

'Move aside shoulder straps and enter the Lyne Up from PERCKO - a French company, who now has a base in London. PERCKO has come up with, what I believe is a game-changer, to help ease pain in the back, improve posture and build strength in the right areas by stimulation of the right structures, through the power of the Lyne Up technology.'

Charlotte Hurst, Chiropractor, Worcester

 

Click below to learn more about how the innovative design from PERCKO can help your posture:

 

You can also benefit from an exclusive £10 off your first order with the code HUBBLE10.

 

PERCKO is keen to work collaboratively with health professionals and can be reached at [email protected] for more information.

 

References: 

1 Chelsea and Westminster Hosptial NHS Foundation Trust

 


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