Did you know that one in six Australians are affected by back problems and it is a leading cause of disability worldwide?
Recently the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care released the first national Low Back Pain Clinical Care Standard to improve early management of patients with this common condition.
The standard outlines optimal care for patients with an acute episode, recurrence or exacerbation of chronic low back pain, and advocates a shift towards active approaches to support people with low back pain.
Recommendations in the standard include self-management and physical activity, addressing psychological barriers to recovery such as thoughts and emotions about pain, and tackling social obstacles, including work and home stress.