The AGR sees itself as the interface for and mediator of information about the causes of backache and how to avoid it, together with therapy possibilities. It pools multidisciplinary knowledge and makes it accessible to experts and to the general public. In this way, the AGR is a special centre of excellence whose know-how is made available to everyone.

The AGR concept

The AGR obtains the latest data and scientific findings from many thousand cooperation partners in the world of medicine. These include Germany's two largest back school associations, the Bundesverband der deutschen Rückenschulen (BdR – Federal Association of German Back Schools) e.V. and the Forum Gesunder Rücken - besser leben (Forum Healthier Backs – For A Better Life) e.V. as well as renowned medical professional associations in different disciplines.

On the other hand, the AGR is in close contact with the research departments of various industrial companies in different branches whose products accompany people through their daily lives. These include office furniture, car seats, beds, upholstered furniture, shoes, sporting equipment, bikes and much more besides. The AGR influences new product developments in order to constantly expand the range available to those affected. In addition, the association is constantly on the search for ergonomic aspects in other areas of life that are currently not yet adequately addressed in professional, qualified terms.

The AGR pools information from the medical environment that can support the development of such products and passes it on to the manufacturers, while also fostering the direct transfer of knowledge between the two areas.

In specific terms, this means that medical and therapy experts of many different disciplines work together and in consensus to elaborate requirement criteria for ergonomically optimum products. An independent expert committee made up of different medical disciplines reviews products according to this requirement catalogue and awards the AGR AGR seal of approval to back-friendly products that have passed successfully through this strict procedure. For the consumer, the seal of approval provides valuable assistance in the search for appropriate back-friendly products and helps to prevent expensive mispurchases.

The requirement criteria defined by the expert committees are summarised by the AGR team of authors in comprehensible texts and published on this website under "Tested & recommended"