Low back pain affects almost everyone at some point, and many people struggle with pain or limitations despite multiple attempts at treatment. Current spine care is plagued by variability, over-medicalization of biopsychosocial problems, inequity, and an over-emphasis on interventional and surgical care. Guidelines focused on the short-term management of acute low back pain are generally not followed and have limited applicability. Non-specific and poorly verified diagnoses further confound clinical care. The reality is that low back pain is a chronic recurrent problem for most individuals, and care should therefore be directed toward long-term management and optimization of life and function.

Low Back Pain recognizes that all low back pain conditions are not created equally and focuses on effective treatments for a diverse set of low back pain issues. Part of the” What Do I Do Now?: Pain Medicine” series this text provides concise, evidence-based, and practical guidance on the management of back pain and related spinal disorders. With practical information on effective front-line care for those with low back pain, the cases in this book reflect common or illustrative clinical presentations and a solid framework for evaluating those with low back pain, clarity on specific conditions, and a critical approach to diagnosis and treatment.