The Seal of Approval Aktion Gesunder Rücken

This report was written by the editors of Aktion Gesunder Rücken e.V.

Over the past 17 years, considerably more than 100 products have been awarded the Seal of Approval “Tested & Recommended” by Aktion Gesunder Rücken e. V. (AGR).

Founded in 1995, AGR has been promoting education to prevent and treat back pain. AGR’s main concern is to create an awareness of the importance of back-friendly conditions, thus promoting back health. The organisation’s work is inseparably linked to the Seal of Approval because back-friendly objects for daily life are an important component in the treatment and prevention of back pain.

Primary causes of muscle and joint diseases, in addition to lack of movement, are incorrect posture and one-sided stress based on unergonomic products in daily life. How should functional objects be designed to relieve strain on the back and to support the spine? What does the consumer have to consider during purchase and what makes quality differences obvious? Because the back-friendly design of most products cannot be spotted at first glance, AGR has developed the “Tested & Recommended” Seal of Approval, which is a reliable help for the consumer’s decision-making. “The AGR Seal of Approval is a reliable and unique quality feature for ergonomic and orthopaedic products that help in daily life“, according to Detlef Detjen, Chairman of Aktion Gesunder Rücken e.V. “Only those products will be awarded the Seal of Approval that comply with the strict testing criteria of an independent medical/therapeutic Expert Committee.”

The Seal of Approval was developed in co-operation with the two largest German back pain prevention associations, Bundesverband der deutschen Rückenschulen e. V. (German Association of Back Training Facilities) and Forum Gesunder Rücken – besser leben e. V. (The forum: a healthy back for a better life), and received the overall assessment of “very good” by ÖKO-TEST. Over the past years, it has been awarded to numerous products for daily life such as office and seating furniture, children’s and youth furniture, school bags, bicycles, bed systems, car seats, shoes, sports equipment etc.

Further information about AGR, about the Seal of Approval and about tested products, as well as a directory of trained and certified specialist retailers can be found here.