Kaia Back Pain

Instructions for Use

Revision: 9, 2021-11-15

If you want to get a paper version of the instructions for use, please contact our support at support@kaiahealth.de.

Welcome to Kaia Back Pain

The Kaia Back Pain therapy concept
Getting started
Your daily program
The Kaia Back Pain App
Building habits
Getting in touch
Technical information

Appendix

Hardware and software compatibility
Label & symbols

Welcome to Kaia Back Pain!

Thank you for choosing Kaia Back Pain to be a part of your pain relief. Congratulations on taking the first step!

If you are reading this, then you are one of millions around the world suffering from lower back pain. The good news is, you’ve taken an important first step towards better back health. Together with thousands of other users you decided to get active against back pain. Kaia Back Pain training can be done in just minutes per day. Schedule a quick session before work, during your lunch break and even while you travel! It is easy to use in the comfort of your home, engaging and entertaining.

This document contains important information to help you get started with the Kaia Back Pain app. Keep in mind that your doctor is the best person to provide you with information about your diagnosis and answer any medical questions you might have. If you have questions about registering for Kaia Back Pain or reimbursement, please contact our Customer Support at support@kaiahealth.de.

So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get started!

1. The Kaia Back Pain therapy concept

WARNING: Read these instructions carefully before use. Before using Kaia Back Pain, consult a physician and schedule a medical check-up so you and your back pain can be approved for physical therapy.

1.1 How Kaia Back Pain works

Kaia Back Pain is a digital therapy app that is based on the evidence-based concept of multidisciplinary rehabilitation.

Kaia Back Pain delivers new course units daily in your Daily Program that show you how to get physically active and proactively manage your back pain. When you register for Kaia Back Pain, the app uses your information to tailor your Daily Program to your unique needs.

Your Daily Program combines 3 main approaches that are particularly effective when used together:

Physical Exercises - Simple exercise routines tailored to your specific needs which can help you to manage back pain in the comfort of your home.
Relaxation Practices - Using the latest findings from mindfulness and progressive muscle relaxation, Kaia Back Pain helps your brain and body to cope with pain in a gentle but effective way.
Learning Modules - Understanding the cause of your back pain and the connections in your body helps you to manage it more efficiently.

We advise our users to adhere as closely as possible to the instructions to avoid potential harm and to gain maximum benefits.

WARNING: If you experience severe pain or loss of function in any body part during or after the use of Kaia Back Pain, stop the exercise immediately and consult a physician.

Kaia Back Pain should be used between 3 and 7 times a week, unless you have been instructed otherwise by a healthcare professional. Use of Kaia Back Pain can contribute to improving common complaints associated with low back pain like the intensity of pain or impaired movement.

1.2 When can Kaia Back Pain be used (intended use and indications)?

Kaia Back Pain is intended for multidisciplinary rehabilitation of non-specific back pain (M54.-) that has persisted for longer than 4 weeks and for multidisciplinary rehabilitation following previous episodes of non-specific back pain. Patients can use the app with or without current or past supervision from medical professionals but need to have undergone prior medical examination to exclude causes for back pain that would require specific treatment. The app is designed to be used directly by laypersons in a home setting without prior training.

WARNING: Kaia Back Pain cannot diagnose your conditions or injuries and cannot safely exclude potentially dangerous causes for your back pain. Do not use Kaia Back Pain in lieu of medical consultation. Please consult your physician if you have any questions related to diagnosis.

1.3 When should Kaia Back Pain not be used (contraindications)?

WARNING:You should only use Kaia Back Pain if you do not have any of the contraindications listed below.

Potential spinal injury or fracture (T09.- / M51.-)
Do not use Kaia Back Pain if your back pain:
- Is related to a fall or other serious injury, and
- Has not been examined by your doctor to rule out spinal damage
Decreased bone density (M80.- / M81.- )
Do not use Kaia Back Pain if you have a history of low bone density (bone loss related to age or other medical reasons) unless your doctor has given you a medical exam and cleared you to do physical exercises such as those used in Kaia Back Pain.
Spinal tumor (D48.- / C79.5)
Do not use Kaia Back Pain if you have or have had any of the following unless your doctor has given you a medical exam and cleared you to do physical exercises such as those used in Kaia Back Pain:
- Spinal tumor
- History of cancer
- Excessive night sweating, unexplained weight loss, and/or unexplained fatigue
Spinal infection (M46.-)
Do not use Kaia Back Pain if you have or have had any of the following unless your doctor has given you a medical exam and cleared you to do physical exercises such as those used in Kaia Back Pain:
- History of unexplained fever
- Recent bacterial infection
- Unexplained potential symptoms of infection (feeling ill and/or tired)
- Recent injection anywhere in the body
Disc herniation (M51.-)
Do not use Kaia Back Pain if you have or have had any of the following unless your doctor has given you a medical exam and cleared you to do physical exercises such as those used in Kaia Back Pain:
- History of feeling numb or weak in your legs
- Loss of feeling in the genital area
- Bowel or bladder incontinence
Previous spinal surgery (Z98.-)
Do not use Kaia Back Pain if you have had previous spinal surgery unless your doctor has given you a medical exam and cleared you for physical exercises such as those in Kaia Back Pain.
Advanced heart disease (I50.- / I51.-)
Do not use Kaia Back Pain if you have or have had any of the following unless your doctor has given you a medical exam and cleared you to do physical exercises such as those used in Kaia Back Pain:
- History of heart disease
- Shortness of breath after climbing less than 2 flights of stairs
- Other unexplained cardiovascular (related to the heart and blood vessels) complaints (such as heart palpitations, leg swelling, and cough)
Conditions affecting your control over your lower body (from hips to toes) (G82.-)
Do not use Kaia Back Pain if you have any conditions affecting your control over your lower body (such as a neurological condition) unless your doctor has given you a medical exam and cleared you to do physical exercises such as those used in Kaia Back Pain.
Musculoskeletal problems affecting major joints in the lower body (M25.-)
Do not use Kaia Back Pain if you have any conditions causing pain or reduced movement in the major joints of your lower limbs unless your doctor has given you a medical exam and cleared you for physical exercises such as those used in Kaia Back Pain.
Pregnancy (O09.-)
Do not use Kaia Back Pain if you are or think you may be pregnant.
Gait imbalance (R26.-), history of falls (R29.6)
Do not use Kaia Back Pain if you have or have had any of the following unless your doctor has given you a medical exam and cleared you to do physical exercises such as those used in Kaia Back Pain:
- Walking imbalance
- History of falling
- Dizziness or low blood pressure brought on by exercise
Coagulopathy (D68.-) or history of bleeding event
Do not use Kaia Back Pain if you have or have had any of the following unless your doctor has given you a medical exam and cleared you to do physical exercises such as those used in Kaia Back Pain:
- History of hemorrhage (excessive bleeding from a blood vessel)
- Bleeding disorder

Relative contraindications

Do not use Kaia Back Pain if you have trouble understanding any portion of the instructions in the app.
Do not use Kaia Back Pain if you are under 18 years of age.

1.4 Known side effects of Kaia Back Pain

The following side effects have been reported for Kaia Back Pain in the past:

Changes of back pain intensity and location (most often increased intensity of back pain during or after exercise, change in location of pain)
Pain in neck muscles during or after exercise
Pain in other parts of the body than the back during or after exercise
Unpleasant sensations during exercise (like snapping sensations or temporary dizziness)
Cramps in muscles during or after exercise

If these complaints are persistent for longer than a few days, please consult a physician.

2. Getting started

In order to get started with Kaia Back Pain, complete the following steps:

Register for the app on the Kaia Back Pain website at https://signup-msk.kaiahealth.de/ or directly through the app.
Complete your Kaia Back Pain Profile questionnaire. Your questionnaire answers are important, as we use them to create your Daily Program. To complete the questionnaire, tap the “Start” button and answer the questions. If you need help during any step, simply tap the blue info icon on the top-right side of the screen to receive additional information.
Once you’ve completed all of these steps, your account is ready and you’re able to start your first Kaia day!

bp_assessment_test

3. Your daily program

As previously mentioned, multidisciplinary rehabilitation is particularly effective for treating back pain. Our approach at Kaia Back Pain includes physical exercises, relaxation practices, and learning modules. In order to provide the best therapy program for you, the app will provide new information every day.

daily_courses

3.1 Course overview

You can customize your Daily Program by joining and leaving courses. To leave or enroll in a course, select the “Settings” tab on the bottom of the screen. From the “Settings” screen, select “Course enrollment”. This will lead you to an overview of the available courses with the option to enroll in or leave each course. Click on a course to add it to your daily schedule. The courses you are enrolled in are marked with a dark blue check-mark icon.

course_overview

Each course consists of several units. In your Daily Program, you’ll receive one unit or exercise each day for every course in which you are enrolled. If all units from the day are finished, the day will be marked as complete.

3.2 Physical exercises

Physical exercises are the cornerstone of your daily therapy. Based on the answers you provided when you signed up and the feedback you give after each exercise session, the app will select the best physical exercises for you every day. To start a physical exercise session, select “See exercises” and tap on the dark blue “Start” button at the bottom of the “Workout” screen.

Kaia Back Pain makes it easy for you to decide how long you want your Kaia Back Pain workout to be each day. To do this, go to the “Workout” in your Daily Program. There you can select the number of exercise rounds that suit you best.

Please note: We recommend connecting to WiFi each time you use Kaia Back Pain to ensure best performance. If you choose not to connect to WiFi, please check with your network service provider regarding data usage and overages.

Step 1: Instruction video

instructions_video

Before each physical exercise begins, Kaia Back Pain will show you a short intro video showing the proper way to do the exercise. Be sure to pay close attention to how the exercise is done and listen for hints on how to maintain the proper form. If you forget the instructions or need a reminder, you can always revisit the intro video during the exercise session. To do this, press the “Pause” button in the bottom left and then the white “Instructions” icon on the bottom right of the exercise video screen.