Back Facts

Low back pain is one of the most common physical complaints among adults. It can range from episodic, mild, annoying pain, to persistent, severe, disabling pain. Mobility is restricted and quality of life diminishes. Consider the following facts about low back pain:

• Each year low back pain accounts for nearly 70 million physician office visits in the United States and an estimated 130 million outpatient, hospital and emergency room visits.
• 70-85% of the US Population will have Back Pain at some time in their life.
• On any given day 6.5 million people are in bed because of back pain.
• 5.4 million Americans are disabled annually due to back pain.
• An estimated 93 million workdays are lost each year due to back pain.
• 90% of all back pain resolves in 6-12 weeks.
• 10% of low back pain becomes chronic.
• The total number of spine operations in the U.S. has approached 500,000 each year.
• An estimated $45 - 54 billion is spent on the treatment of low back pain per year.
• Each year, low back injuries account for 40 to 50% of all workers compensation costs.
• After the common cold, low back pain is the most frequent cause of lost work days in individuals under 45 years of age.
• Low back pain is the most frequent cause of activity limitation under the age of 45.
• Only 50% of injured workers ever return to work if out for 12 months.
• Back pain is the second most common neurological ailment in the United States - only headache is more common.
• Fortunately, most occurrences of low back pain go away within a few days to several weeks. Others take much longer to resolve or lead to more serious conditions. Subacute low back pain usually lasts from 4 - 12 weeks. Chronic low back pain usually lasts for more than 12 weeks.
• Most acute back pain is mechanical in nature - the result of trauma to the lower back or a disorder such as arthritis. Pain from trauma may be caused by a lifting accident, twisting or turning abruptly, sports injury, work around the house or in the garden, or a sudden jolt such as a car accident or other stress on spinal bones and tissues.
• Symptoms may include: a dull achy, sharp, stabbing, burning, tingling, or prickly pain. One may feel numbness or weakness in the legs. One may also experience limited flexibility and/or range of motion, or an inability to stand straight. Some acute pain syndromes can progressively worsen and become more serious if left untreated.

As your journey continues through our web site you'll begin to understand and appreciate the anatomy and physiology of the lower back, the main causes of low back pain, the role of the physician and testing, available treatments to include several new, exciting and conservative methods of treating low back pain.