Personalized back pain assessment
Back resilience starts here.
Perform our assessment in under 10 minutes to learn which exercises, habits, and next steps will get you Back Again.
Built and operated by spine biomechanics PhD, Dr. Mitch Whittal. Back Again Assessments is not a replacement for medical care, is not medical advice, and does not provide a diagnosis.
Meet the founder
Dr. Mitch Whittal, Spine Biomechanics PhD
I'm Mitch Whittal, a spine biomechanics PhD, husband, and dad who has lived with intermittent back pain for over a decade. I built Back Again Assessments to turn your story, symptoms, and goals into an evidence-based program to get you back again. Back Again is the tool that I wish I had a decade ago and it's my hope that it can help you too.
- PhD in Spine Biomechanics (Wilfrid Laurier University)
- Published researcher in spine biomechanics and disc mechanics
- Former instructor in ergonomics and occupational biomechanics
How it works
A clear, guided assessment in three steps.
Step 1: Complete our 4-step screening process
RMDQ – Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire
Developed by Martin Roland and Richard Morris, this tool measures how low back pain limits daily activities.
STarT Back Screening Tool
Jonathan Hill and colleagues developed the STarT Back screening tool to classify and categorize back pain patients into risk categories based on symptoms and psychosocial factors.
Back-PAQ – Back Pain Attitudes Questionnaire
The Back-PAQ questionnaire evaluates patient attitudes, beliefs, and fears towards their back pain and movement. Created by Ben Darlow and his colleagues.
History
A series of questions about movement patterns, daily life, general health, and goals. Providing detailed information results in a report that is truly custom.
What you receive
What You’ll Receive
A report designed for you, backed by evidence. Below are some limited examples of what you can expect to see in your report.
Your report will contain the following sections:
- A custom 4-week biomechanics-driven program with exercises, stretches, and drills (for premium and concierge tiers)
- Clear explanations for every exercise, stretch, or drill mentioned in your program (premium and concierge tiers)
- Movement tweaks
- Occupational/workplace/household
- Confidence, fear, and graded exposure
- Links to referenced studies and additional video and guide resources (for premium and concierge tiers)
Sample excerpts from Dr. Mitch's report
HistoryView preview
Details and history snippet
At-a-glance scores
RMDQ / STarT Back / Back-PAQ cards
The Back Again Advantage:
Every report is custom to each individual and the information they choose to provide.
RMDQ, STarT Back, and Back-PAQ questionnaires describe individual severity, level of disability and psychological beliefs.
Educational content and recommendations are based on peer-reviewed research and clinical findings.
History, questionnaire results, and relevant research findings are synthesized by our AI-powered workflow to create educational insight.
Built by a spine biomechanics PhD.
Ask follow-up questions to our AI coach with the purchase of a premium or concierge plan. Ex: "How should I brace my core when lifting something heavy from the floor?"
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Trust & safety
Trust & safety
Not medical advice
This assessment provides educational information only and is not a medical diagnosis or treatment plan.
Not for emergencies
If you have severe, rapidly changing symptoms or are worried about something urgent, seek immediate care.
Support available
Questions? Email Dr. Mitch Whittal directly through the Contact support portal. Questions about something in your report? Reply to the email of your premium or concierge assessments for clarification.