Sufferers of Certain Types of Knee and Lower Back Pains Are Unaware of an Effective Yet Inexpensive Solution - Dr. Scholl's(R) Pain Relief Orthotics KENILWORTH, N.J., June 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- What's the biggest pain in your life? Credit card debt? High gas prices? While these problems are extremely bothersome, a new survey from the makers of Dr. Scholl's(R) reveals that the physical pain suffered by people with knee and lower back pain is also at the top of the list. The survey shows that knee and lower back pain pervade many aspects of respondents' lives -- and that's only the beginning of the story. As a result of their pain, more than half of sufferers (55 percent) said they weren't able to sleep as well, one quarter said they gained weight (26 percent), and one in five (21 percent) lost money because they had to take time off from work.(1) The survey also shows that almost half of adult Americans (47 percent) experienced knee or lower back pain in the past year.(1) When asked what they would trade for a pain-free week, 57 percent of aching Americans said they would forgo eating dessert, 55 percent would miss their favorite television show and one-third (32 percent) would even sacrifice sex.(1) Knee and lower back pain are common and costly ailments that can result from several causes, including injury, being overweight, or simply muscle stress and strain.(2,3) In 2005, millions of visits were made to physicians' offices due to knee and back symptoms.(4) There are several treatment options for knee and lower back pain, but they can be expensive. One study found that direct costs to treat individuals with back pain alone added up to $26 billion a year.(5) "With obesity on the rise and the U.S. population aging, Americans are more likely to experience knee or lower back pain at some point during their lives," said Dr. Leslie Campbell, DPM, Presbyterian Hospital, Texas. "While some patients opt for medical intervention, many can find relief simply by using specially designed shoe insoles called orthotics. These over-the-counter products are fairly inexpensive and can be found at various retail locations, including drugstores. Many people are surprised to learn that managing certain types of knee and lower back problems can actually begin with their feet." In fact, the Dr. Scholl's(R) survey showed that when asked what treatments they believe would relieve their knee or lower back pain, more than three quarters (77 percent) of sufferers mentioned that visiting a health care professional and/or taking prescription or over-the-counter medication (76 percent) could bring them relief, while less than half (41 percent) named insoles or shoe inserts as a viable pain-relief option to relieve their knee or lower back pain.(1) Dr. Scholl's Pain Relief Orthotics provide an effective and inexpensive solution for certain types of knee and lower back pain. Their design is also clinically proven to provide all-day comfort. DR. SCHOLL'S KNEE PAIN RELIEF ORTHOTICS promote better foot and leg alignment and provide relief from knee pain due to overpronation. DR. SCHOLL'S BACK PAIN RELIEF ORTHOTICS cushion and absorb jarring impacts, using a design that is clinically proven to relieve lower back pain that can result from being on your feet all day. The makers of Dr. Scholl's Pain Relief Orthotics worked closely with health care professionals to develop and test the only full line of over-the-counter orthotics specially designed to relieve knee, lower back, heel or arch pain. "Using over-the-counter orthotics is a first line of defense that many people are unaware of," added Dr. Campbell. "Sufferers who experience knee or lower back discomfort and the many difficulties their pain may cause should first look into this effective solution." About Dr. Scholl's(R) Dr. Scholl's(R) products are available at food, drug and mass retailers nationwide. For more information, please visit drscholls.com. Dr. Scholl's(R) is America's number one brand of footcare products. For over a century, the Dr. Scholl's(R) line has provided footcare and comfort to millions. Today, the Dr. Scholl's(R) brand offers over 120 footcare products to help keep feet healthy, comfortable and beautiful. The Dr. Scholl's(R) brand leads the way by utilizing the latest podiatric medicine and research to revolutionize the way Americans think of, and care for, their feet. Dr. Scholl's is a registered trademark of Schering-Plough HealthCare Products, Inc. About Schering-Plough Schering-Plough is an innovation-driven, science-centered global health care company. Through its own biopharmaceutical research and collaborations with partners, Schering-Plough creates therapies that help save and improve lives around the world. The company applies its research-and-development platform to human prescription and consumer products as well as to animal health products. In November 2007, Schering-Plough acquired Organon BioSciences, with its Organon human health and Intervet animal health businesses, marking a pivotal step in the company's ongoing transformation. Schering-Plough's vision is to "Earn Trust, Every Day" with the doctors, patients, customers and other stakeholders served by its colleagues around the world. The company is based in Kenilworth, N.J., and its Web site is schering-plough.com. (1) All statistics taken from the Dr. Scholl's Orthotics Omnibus Survey. Conducted by StrategyOne. January 2008, except where noted. (2) Pace B. JAMA Patient Page: Coping with Back Pain. JAMA. 2000;284(21). (3) Zeller JL. JAMA Patient Page: Knee Pain. JAMA. 2007;297(15). (4) National Center for Health Statistics, National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. 2005. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/ad/ad387.pdf (5) Back Pain: A Costly Ache. The Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council. April 2004. Available at http://www.phc4.org/reports/fyi/docs/phc4fyi24.pdf. Accessed March 6, 2008. DATASOURCE: Dr. Scholl's CONTACT: Media, Jennifer Samolewicz, +1-908-298-7359, or Investor Relations, Janet Barth,+1-908-298-7436, or Joseph Romanelli, +1-908-298-7436, all of Schering-Plough for Dr. Scholl's Web site: http://www.drscholls.com/ http://www.schering-plough.com/ Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/777050.html

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