The Back School

The Back School was founded in 1979 by Stanley V. Paris, PH.D., P.T., and Ronald W. Porter, P.T., CEAS, as an outreach of the Atlanta Back Clinic. Initially focused on treating workers' comp patients with musculoskeletal disorders, The Back School shifted to ergonomics and back injury prevention during the '80s, long before OSHA guidelines emerged. Over 35 years later, it has become a leader in ergonomics training through online courses, live workshops, and onsite consulting. Our onsite consulting branch began when an automotive paint manufacturer requested ergonomics training, leading to a 7% reduction in workers' comp costs. This success resulted in the creation of training materials for safety professionals, including a slide program and two training films: "It's Your Back" and "How to Start a Back School." Today, The Back School offers various consulting services and trademarked Power Zone and Workplace Athlete® training for sectors like industrial and healthcare. As ergonomics gained traction, The Back School recognized the need for training in risk assessment across industries. In 2000, it launched live workshops nationwide for Physical and Occupational Therapists, safety professionals, and wellness experts, enabling them to conduct internal assessments. The CEAS™ Certification was introduced, along with three certification levels and AOEAS® for advanced office ergonomics. In 2005, courses targeting the industrial sector were added. By 2012, The Back School expanded to offer online courses and certifications, making training globally accessible. Since 2000, it has certified over 10,000 individuals and trained more than 40,000 health and safety professionals worldwide.