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Back Again AssessmentsBy Dr. Mitch Whittal
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Policy

1. What Back Again is (and is not)

Back Again is an online educational tool about back pain. It uses your answers to standardized questionnaires and history questions to create a plain-language educational report that you can discuss with your own healthcare provider.

Back Again does not:

  • Provide medical diagnosis.
  • Provide medical treatment.
  • Replace an in-person or virtual assessment with a licensed health professional.
  • Create a doctor–patient, physiotherapist–patient, or other clinical relationship.

All written content you receive (including scores, summaries, and suggestions) is generated with the help of artificial intelligence and may contain errors, omissions, or outdated information. It is not reviewed in real time by a doctor or other regulated health professional.

2. This is not medical advice

Nothing in this assessment, the resulting report, or any related emails should be taken as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

You must not use Back Again:

  • To decide on starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
  • To decide whether to have or delay surgery or other procedures.
  • As your only source of information when making decisions about your health.

You must always speak with your own doctor, physiotherapist, chiropractor, nurse practitioner, or other qualified health professional before acting on anything you read here.

3. Emergency and “red flag” symptoms – do not use this service

Back Again is not designed for emergencies or serious, rapidly changing symptoms.

If you have any of the following, you should stop now, not complete this assessment, and instead seek urgent or emergency medical care right away (for example, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department or urgent care clinic):

  • New or quickly worsening loss of bowel or bladder control (trouble starting or stopping urination, leaking, or not knowing when you need to go).
  • Numbness or loss of feeling in the groin, genitals, or “saddle” area (the area that would touch a bicycle seat).
  • New or rapidly worsening weakness in one or both legs, trouble lifting your feet, or difficulty walking that seems to be getting worse.
  • Back pain with fever, feeling very unwell, or recent serious infection.
  • Back pain after a major fall, car accident, or other serious trauma.
  • Back pain in someone with a history of cancer, unexplained weight loss, night sweats, or feeling generally very unwell.
  • Any other symptom that feels like an emergency or makes you worry something is seriously wrong.

If you are unsure whether your symptoms are urgent, you should contact your local emergency services, urgent care clinic, nurse line, or primary care provider instead of relying on this assessment.

4. Your responsibilities as a user

By using Back Again, you agree that:

  • You will not rely on Back Again as your only source of health information.
  • You will not ignore or delay seeking medical care because of something you read in a Back Again report or email.
  • You will consult a qualified healthcare provider before making any changes to your activity, exercise, or treatment plan based on this service.
  • You will seek urgent or emergency care if you experience any of the red-flag symptoms listed above, or if your condition suddenly worsens.
  • You understand that Back Again cannot see you, examine you, or access your full medical history, and therefore cannot identify or rule out serious conditions.

You accept full responsibility for any decisions you make about your health, including decisions made after reading Back Again materials.

5. What information we collect

To generate your educational report, Back Again will collect and store information that you choose to provide, such as:

  • Basic identifiers: your name and email address.
  • Demographic information: your age, sex (as you report it), and general activity level or occupation.
  • Back-pain history: when your pain started, where it is located, what makes it worse or better, how it affects your daily life, and your goals.
  • Health information you choose to share: other health conditions (comorbidities) such as obesity, sleep problems, diabetes, depression or anxiety, pelvic floor issues, other injuries, or disabilities.
  • Standardized questionnaire responses:
    • Oswestry Disability Index (ODI)
    • STarT Back tool
    • Back-PAQ questionnaire
  • Free-text answers: anything you type into open-ended history, goals, or comment boxes.
  • Service-use details: which assessment plan you selected (Standard, Premium, Concierge), and whether you use features like re-runs or the email coach.

Please do not share information about other identifiable people unless you have their permission.

6. How we use your information

We use your information to:

  • Generate your personalized educational assessment report.
  • Calculate and explain your questionnaire scores (for example, your ODI percentage and category, or STarT Back risk band).
  • Tailor the general information and exercise/strategy suggestions in your report.
  • Provide the features that come with your plan, such as:
    • Sending your report and follow-up emails to you.
    • Providing AI-assisted email coaching during your access window (Premium or Concierge).
    • Allowing limited re-runs of the assessment when available.
  • Improve and monitor the service (for example, anonymous statistics on how many assessments are completed or which features are used).

At this time, Back Again does not sell information that directly identifies you (such as your name or email address). We do not share your personal information with employers, insurers, or third-party marketers. We do not share your identifiable information with other apps or websites without your consent, except as required by law.

Your data may be de-identified (for example, with names and email addresses removed) and combined with data from other users to create aggregated datasets. These de-identified and aggregated datasets may be used to help improve the service, for education or research, or may be shared with or licensed to trusted third parties such as research groups or organizations interested in better understanding back pain. These datasets are not intended to identify you personally.

7. Our service providers and where your data may be processed

To provide this service, Back Again uses reputable third-party providers, including:

  • A secure database service to store your assessment data.
  • AI / language model providers to help generate the written educational content.
  • An email service provider to send you reports and coach messages.
  • Payment processors (such as Stripe) to manage payments for paid plans.

These service providers are required, through their own terms and privacy practices, to protect your information and keep it confidential.

Some of these providers may store or process data outside of Canada (for example, in the United States or other countries). Privacy and data-protection laws may differ from those in your home country. By using Back Again, you consent to this cross-border storage and processing.

8. Data retention and deletion

Back Again will retain your information for as long as reasonably needed to:

  • Provide your assessment and any follow-up features you have paid for, and
  • Maintain basic records of how the service is used.

If you would like your personally identifiable assessment data to be deleted:

  • You can contact us using the email address provided on the website.
  • Once we can reasonably verify your identity, we will aim to delete your identifiable assessment data from our active systems within approximately 90 days of your request, except where we are legally required or permitted to keep certain records (for example, for tax or accounting purposes).

De-identified or aggregated data (which does not contain your name, email, or other direct identifiers) may be retained to help improve the service and may also be used for education, research, or shared with or licensed to trusted third parties, provided it is not intended to identify you personally.

9. Age and eligibility

Back Again is intended only for adults aged 18 years or older.

By using this service, you confirm that:

  • You are at least 18 years old, and
  • You are using this service for yourself, not on behalf of a minor.

At this time, Back Again is not designed for minors and does not collect or rely on parental or guardian consent workflows.

10. Limitations of the service and liability

Back Again is provided on an “as-is” and “as-available” basis.

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law:

  • Back Again makes no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information provided.
  • Back Again does not guarantee that the service will identify all important health issues, risk factors, or red-flag symptoms.
  • Back Again, its founder, and any contractors or service providers will not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, or consequential loss, injury, or damage that may result from:
    • Your use of this website or service.
    • Your reliance on any information, report, or suggestion generated by this service.
    • Any delay or failure in receiving reports or emails.
    • Any errors, omissions, or technical issues.

Using this service does not replace the need for care from qualified healthcare professionals. If you do not agree with these limitations, you must not use Back Again.