European guidelines for prevention in low back pain

Burton, A. Kim, Balague, F., Cardon, G., Eriksen, H.R., Henrotin, Yves, Lahad, A., Leclerc, Annette, Muller, G. and van der Beek, A.J. (2006) European guidelines for prevention in low back pain. European Spine Journal, 15 (Supplement 2). s136-s168. ISSN 1432-0932

Abstract

Summary of the concepts of prevention in low back
pain (LBP):
• The general nature and course of commonly experienced LBP means that there is limited scope for preventing its incidence (first-time onset). Prevention, in the context of this guideline, is focused primarily on reduction of the impact and consequences of LBP.
• Primary causative mechanisms remain largely undetermined: risk factor modification will not necessarily achieve prevention.
• There is considerable scope, in principle, for prevention of the consequences of LBP – e.g. episodes (recurrence), care seeking, disability, and workloss.
• Different interventions and outcomes will be appropriate for different target populations (general population, workers, and children) yet inevitably there is overlap.
• Interventions that are essentially treatments in the clinical environment, focused on management of current symptoms, are not considered as ‘prevention’ for the purposes of this guideline: they are covered in the accompanying clinical guidelines

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