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3-2-1 Back Pain
Priyanka Vaidya
July 07, 2025
Back pain is a common condition that can range from a dull muscle ache to sharp, shooting sensations and may radiate to other areas such as the legs. It often results from mechanical or structural problems in the spine, discs, muscles, ligaments, or tendons, but can also be caused by inflammatory conditions, osteoporosis, infections, or even referred pain from organs. Risk factors include aging, lack of exercise, excess weight, improper lifting, poor posture, and certain diseases. While most back pain is not caused by serious medical issues and often improves with conservative measures, persistent or severe pain should be evaluated by a healthcare provider to rule out underlying conditions and guide appropriate treatment.
Back pain, particularly low back pain, is one of the most prevalent health conditions worldwide, affecting nearly 10% of the world’s population. Lower back pain is also the leading cause of disability worldwide, impacting quality of life and work productivity.
3 startups making an impact in this space:
Company | |||
Location | US | US | Israel |
Modality | Therapeutics | Therapeutics | Therapeutics |
Descriptor | Proven digital-first care for back, joint, and chronic pain. | The RelieVRx program is the first FDA-authorized in-home virtual reality (VR) treatment clinically proven to deliver a significant, lasting reduction of chronic lower back pain. | Healables is a Health Tech and Sports Tech startup commercializing AI-driven Wearables designed to turn down pain and turn up performance. |
Core Problem | People with chronic back pain do not want to rely on pharmaceutical interventions with their side effects. | People with Chronic Lower Back Pain (CLBP) typically take more medications than the average patient, which may include opioids. Opioids can cause complications or side effects. | Healthcare is broken because the one-size-fits-all approach does not meet the needs of the individual. |
Solution | Kaia provides 1:1 access to licensed PTs, personalized therapy sessions, and sensors to provide real-time feedback. | The RelieVRx program uses a non-pharmacologic, non-invasive medical device designed to help patients manage their CLBP. | Healables is a digital health start-up that develops personalized treatments leveraging wearable, therapeutic smart textiles that aim to relieve pain, accelerate healing, and reduce inflammation without medication. |
Product Suite | MSK: Proven digital-first care for back, joint, and chronic pain Kaia Breathe: proven digital-first pulmonary rehabilitation Motion Coach: Real-time exercise guidance and feedback through your smartphone or tablet. | VR headset Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Applications | Smart textiles |
Regulatory Status | Submitted | FDA approved | Unknown |
Funding Stage | Series C | Series B | Seed |
Team | The CEO is a seasoned health tech veteran. | Proven entrepreneurs and health tech veterans | Seasoned tech entrepreneurs |
Traction | Strong traction with leading health plans and employers. | Strong traction, with partnerships with leading health systems. | Gaining traction in the US |
2 actionable insights to inspire your strategy.
Digital Therapeutics (DTx) Digital platforms and apps (such as Kaia Health and Hinge Health) deliver personalized exercise therapy, education, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and virtual coaching. AI-powered digital therapeutics analyze patient movements, ensure proper exercise form, and personalize care plans, enabling more precise and adaptive interventions for back pain. | Virtual Reality (VR) FDA-authorized VR apps like RelieVRx provide immersive, at-home pain management using relaxation, guided breathing, and patient education modules. VR-based therapies have demonstrated reductions in pain severity and improved quality of life for chronic back pain sufferers. |
1 key resource to deepen your understanding.
How ‘Cat, Cow, and Pigeon (stretches)’ can provide relief. Listen to this helpful episode from the Low Back Pain Podcast:
And that’s all for today, see you next Monday!
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