By Christopher J. Standaert, Janna Friedly

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.