Low Back Pain: What Have Clinical Guidelines Ever Done for Us?

Abstract

The burden that low back pain (LBP) presents to sufferers and society is well established. This ubiquitous condition is served by a complex global clinical marketplace offering a wide range of assessment alternatives and accompanying interventions. Yet, while the costs of care are rising, the global burden does not appear to be diminishing. Considerable effort internationally has gone into developing CPGs for LBP. The authors highlight the similarities and differences between existing CPGs for LBP, as well as strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement in the implementation of guidelines generally. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2018;48(2):54-57. doi:10.2519/jospt.2018.0602.