Susan’s Goal Was Simple: Less Back Pain, More Energy and the Freedom to Enjoy Life Again

She did not want to become a fitness expert or spend hours exercising. She simply wanted to feel like herself again.

Susan had never experienced significant back problems before.

Then, seemingly out of nowhere, her back began to affect her movement, confidence and everyday life.

Her doctor prescribed a course of anti-inflammatory medication, and Susan also began attending weekly physiotherapy appointments for massage on her back. 

This felt like it was helping with the symptoms but not fixing the problem long term. 

The advice she received was straightforward:

Exercise gently. Improve her core strength. Pay more attention to her posture.

Susan was prepared to do everything she could to help her back recover.

But once she returned home and began exercising alone, she faced a problem familiar to thousands of people trying to manage back pain:

How could she tell whether she was performing the exercises correctly when nobody was watching?

Susan Was Doing the Exercises—but She Wasn’t Confident About Her Technique

Being given the right exercises is an important part of recovering from a back problem.

However, knowing which exercise to perform is not the same as knowing whether you are performing it correctly.

A physiotherapist can observe your movement during an appointment and immediately correct you if your position begins to change.

At home, it is much more difficult.

You may think your back is controlled while unknowingly:

• Arching or rounding it too much

• Leaning or shifting to one side

• Compensating because of weakness

• Moving through your back instead of your hips

• Losing your position as you become tired

Susan wanted to strengthen her back and core, but she did not want to reinforce poor habits in the process.

That was when she happened across the BackAware Belt and its online classes on Facebook.

“I Wasn’t Able to Do Everything at First”

Susan decided to try the programme, but she quickly discovered that she could not perform every exercise exactly as demonstrated.

Her back was still weak, and some of the movements were beyond her current ability.

That could easily have left her feeling that the programme was not suitable for her.

Instead, Dr Eoin Everard, a Chartered Physiotherapist and founder of BackAware, adjusted the class to match Susan’s starting point.

“To be honest, I wasn’t able to do it exactly as suggested at first because my back was weak. But Eoin adjusted the online class to suit my ability, and as an older person, that suits me best.”

Susan did not have to force herself through exercises that were too difficult.

She could begin at a level that felt manageable and gradually build up as her strength, control and confidence improved.

The Aim Wasn’t to Do More—It Was to Do the Same Exercises Better

Many people assume that improving their back will require another complicated programme or hours of additional exercise.

For Susan, the BackAware Belt did not mean finding more time in her day.

She was already completing exercises.

The belt simply gave her feedback while she performed them.

That meant she could continue doing the same rehabilitation movements, but with greater awareness of what her back was actually doing.

This became one of the biggest advantages for Susan.

Instead of wondering whether she was centred or whether her position had changed, she could receive feedback as it happened.

“What I like about it most is that the belt helps keep my back in the correct position. I know I’m not going to be all over the place. The belt corrects me if I’m off centre.”

The BackAware Belt does not physically hold Susan’s back in position like a rigid brace.

It alerts her when her movement goes outside the range selected for the exercise.

Susan then makes the correction herself.

This means she is still using her own muscles, developing control and learning to recognise the difference between a well-controlled movement and one where her position begins to change.

Why Immediate Feedback Can Make Such a Difference

Most people cannot see their own backs while exercising.

You can look down and check the position of your hands or feet, but you cannot easily see what your lower back and pelvis are doing during a bridge, squat or core exercise.

This forces people to rely on how the movement feels.

Unfortunately, what we think we are doing and what our bodies are actually doing are not always the same.

The BackAware Belt provides two forms of immediate feedback:

Visual feedback: Susan can see a representation of her back movement on the accompanying app.

Vibration feedback: The belt can vibrate when her movement goes beyond the range selected for the exercise.

This allows her to recognise a change as it happens.

She can pause, adjust her position and continue with greater control—rather than completing an entire set without realising that her technique has changed.

The Research Behind Using Feedback During Rehabilitation

This type of real-time information is known as biofeedback.

Biofeedback gives someone information about a bodily process or movement that may otherwise be difficult to recognise. The person can then use that information to adjust what they are doing.

A 2025 systematic review examined the use of biofeedback across chronic pain rehabilitation, including research involving lower-back pain. The authors found that biofeedback showed promise as an additional tool for pain management, physical function and quality of life. 

This supports the broader idea behind BackAware: giving people feedback may help them become more aware of their bodies and participate more actively in their rehabilitation.

The research reflects what Susan and others have experienced with the BackAware Belt having recieved 5 stars from all TrustPilot Reviews. 

Susan Could Feel Benefits Before Becoming Pain-Free

Susan’s dream outcome is to become pain-free, regain her energy and enjoy life without constantly thinking about her back.

However, recovery does not always happen as one dramatic moment.

There can be useful changes along the way.

From the first few sessions: Greater awareness

Susan can immediately see how her back moves and begin noticing positions that she may not have recognised before.

Over the first few weeks: Better control

As she repeats the exercises, she can practise responding to the feedback and correcting her own position.

As she becomes stronger: Gradual progression

The exercises can be made more challenging as Susan’s ability improves, rather than asking her to complete movements that are too difficult from the beginning.

Over the longer term: More confidence

The ultimate aim is for Susan to develop enough awareness and control that she begins recognising these movements herself.

Individual recovery times vary, and becoming completely pain-free cannot be guaranteed.

But Susan does not have to wait until the end of the process to feel that she is moving in the right direction.

Each confidently completed session can represent another step towards the outcome she wants.

Accountability Became Just as Important as the Exercises

Susan also discovered that having a suitable programme was only one part of staying consistent.

Like most people, she found it easier to continue when she knew support was available.

“There is email and WhatsApp support, which is important because we all need accountability.”

This gives Susan somewhere to ask a question if an exercise does not feel right or if she is unsure how to progress.

It also means her programme can continue to adapt as her ability changes.

The support helps prevent two common problems:

Doing too much because an exercise has not been adjusted appropriately—or doing too little because uncertainty causes someone to stop completely.

A Back Programme That Meets People Where They Are

Many people with back problems are caught between two types of exercise programme.

One is so gentle that it never appears to progress.

The other assumes that everyone can immediately perform the same exercises at the same level.

Susan needed something in between.

She needed a programme that recognised her current limitations but still gave her a path forward.

With BackAware, she could:

• Begin with exercises suited to her ability

• Receive feedback on her back position

• Gradually build her strength

• Get help when something needed to be adjusted

• Stay accountable between sessions

• Exercise without adding more time to her existing routine

Most importantly, she no longer felt that she was simply guessing about her technique.

From Back Pain to Getting Her Life Back

Susan’s real goal is not to become perfect at performing bridges, core exercises or Pilates movements.

Those exercises are only a means to something much more important.

She wants less pain.

She wants more energy.

She wants to feel confident moving again.

And she wants the freedom to enjoy her everyday life without her back constantly being at the front of her mind.

The BackAware Belt cannot promise that this will happen overnight.

What it can give Susan is additional guidance while she completes the work required to move towards that goal.

For someone who previously worried about being “all over the place” while exercising, that feedback has made home rehabilitation feel more controlled, personalised and achievable.

The Invention Designed to Show People What Their Backs Are Actually Doing

The BackAware Belt was founded by Dr Eoin Everard, a Chartered Physiotherapist with a PhD in biomechanics and human movement.

The wearable technology was included in TIME’s 200 Best Inventions of 2024 for its ability to track spinal movement and provide real-time visual and vibration feedback during activities such as Pilates and resistance exercises.

BackAware combines this feedback with follow-along classes, individual programmes and ongoing support.

For Susan, it means continuing with the exercises she was already encouraged to perform—but with greater confidence that she is performing them with control.

And every time she completes another session, she is working towards the outcome that matters most:

Less pain, more energy and the freedom to enjoy life again.

Susan’s story reflects her individual experience. Results and recovery timelines vary. The BackAware Belt does not replace medical assessment, physiotherapy or other healthcare treatment. Anyone experiencing new, severe or worsening back symptoms should seek advice from an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.

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