Apps for back pain do very different things. Before you pay, it helps to know what kind of help you are looking for.
Three types of apps
- Exercise programs – fixed sessions of movement and strength. Example: Kaia.
- Self-help with a before/after check – one concrete step, and a score before and after. Example: PFU Pocket.
- Education and diaries – understand the pain and follow it over time. Examples: Curable and Bearable.
What a good app should have
- A simple way to see whether it helps you
- Clear advice on when to see a doctor
- No promises to cure everything
When to talk to a doctor first
If you have severe pain without a known cause, talk to a doctor before you try self-treatment. If you want to try lymph drainage, as in PFU Pocket, the same goes if you take warfarin (Marevan) or have lymph cancer.
