Practitioner’s Corner: World Spine Care – A few facts

By Kyle Stunden, DC

World Spine Care is a multinational not-for-profit organization that was started in 2008 by Dr. Scott Haldeman MD, PHD, DC. The organization was started to fill the void surrounding the evidence-based management of musculoskeletal disorders.

Why the movement was started

Globally more than 540 million people suffer from low back discomfort and World Spine Care is on a mission to make a difference in underserved communities. Many people work in cramped, awkward and slouched postures for prolonged periods of time resulting in low back and neck discomfort.

Did you know?…

That the estimated costs worldwide for the associated healthcare costs and loss of work due to spinal disorders is in the billions. The Lancet published a Global burden of Disease report (Murray et al, Vos et al, 2012) in 2012 and they found the following when it comes to spinal disorders:

1. Low back pain is the leading cause of disability.
2. Neck pain is the fourth leading cause of disability.
3. Low back pain and neck pain affect 1 billion people worldwide.
4. Spinal pain contributes more to the global burden of disease (including death and disability) than: HIV, diabetes, malaria, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, breast and lung cancer combined, traffic injuries, and lower respiratory infections.

The present and future of spinal care in under-serviced areas

As populations in under-serviced areas of the world often have limited access to conventional healthcare resources they are typically treated by traditional healers or hospital facilities that rely on pain management medication only. There are no comprehensive treatment methods in the management of these conditions. This can result in individuals dealing with long term pain and disability.

World Spine Care works to provide culturally sensitive and sustainable musculoskeletal care. In particular they focus on government involvement, local healthcare training and community education to create a model that is sustainable. World Spine care emphasizes evidence based and integrative care to multiple areas around the world. Currently World Spine Care has clinics in:

1. The MGM collaboration Project, India
2. Shoshong, Botswana
3. Ridge Hospital, Accra, Ghana
4. Moca Project, Dominican Republic