Low back pain (LBP) is the leading cause of disability worldwide.
1 in 7 Australians will present with back pain in a given day, which makes it the largest contributor to the burden of disease in Australia.
60% of people with acute LBP will recover in a few weeks and with minimal intervention.
The other 40% are at risk of developing long-term symptoms, or Chronic LBP.
An important step in the successful management is the classification of LBP into 3 broad categories.
Specific Spinal Pathologies (less than 1% of case in Primary Care)
- Vertebral fracture
- Malignancy
- Spinal infection
- Cauda Equina Syndrome
- Axial Spondyloarthritis