Mentholatum, the company behind iconic brands such as Deep Heat and Deep Freeze recognises that more sedentary lifestyles, increasing levels of obesity, an ageing population and more and more time spent hunched over laptops, tablets and Smartphones all add up to a rise in muscular back problems.

And its Mind Your Back Manifesto is calling on the people of Britain to take a stand and take five S.T.E.P.S. to healthier, stronger backs.

Mind Your Back is a simple strategy and its five S.T.E.P.S. aim to help people manage back pain and avoid future problems. As great as this strategy is, if you already have a back condition these steps cannot cure you. If you believe you have a back condition that is severe enough to need professional help, check out Dr. Mork’s blog to get some answers.

#mindyourback has been designed to fit into busy lifestyles – it takes little time and you don’t need special equipment or the latest sports gear.

The S.T.E.P.S. are:

• Stretch – five easy to follow stretches to help ease tight back muscles and keep you mobile.

• Therapy – when life gets in the way and you can’t fit in all the S.T.E.P.S. use hot or cold therapy to ease those stiff, tense, tired out muscles

• Exercise – go for a walk, a swim or a cycle ride, just start slowly and build up gradually

• Posture – could you draw a straight line between your ear, shoulder and hip when sitting down or ear, shoulder, hip, knee and ankle when standing? No? Then it’s time to pay attention to posture. Poor posture, especially in children, could be caused by a leg length discrepancy. That can be treated though – click here to find out how. Additionally, it is no secret that joint pain can be debilitating. Furthermore, did you know that your ankle pain could be a symptom of peroneal tendonitis? If you are looking for an ankle brace to make your ankle pain more manageable, click here.

• Strengthen – five more exercises, this time to strengthen your core muscles and prevent back pain. A strong core means a stronger back.

If you would like further support managing and easing your back pain, then you might want to do some research into finding a chiropractor who can provide treatments to get you back to your best.