The DOI matches its Crossref record; 28 of the 28 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Primary care management of non-specific low back pain: key messages from recent clinical guidelines
Abstract
Introduction: Research in the past decade supports some major changes to the primary care management of non-specific low back pain (LBP). The present article summarises recommendations from recently published United Kingdom, Danish, Belgian and United States guidelines to alert readers to the important changes in recommendations for management, and the recommendations from previous guidelines that remain unchanged. Main recommendations: Use a clinical assessment to triage patients with LBP. Further diagnostic workup is only required for the small number of patients with suspected serious pathology. For many patients with non-specific LBP, simple first line care (advice, reassurance and self-management) and a review at 1–2 weeks is all that is required. If patients need second line care, non-pharmacological treatments (eg, physical and psychological therapies) should be tried before pharmacological therapies. If pharmacological therapies are used, they should be used at the lowest effective dose and for the shortest period of time possible. Exercise and/or cognitive behavioural therapy, with multidisciplinary treatment for more complex presentations, are recommended for patients with chronic LBP. Electrotherapy, traction, orthoses, bed rest, surgery, injections and denervation procedures are not recommended for patients with non-specific LBP. Changes in management as a result of the guidelines: The major changes include: emphasising simple first line care with early follow-up; encouraging non-pharmacological treatments over pharmacological treatments; and recommending against the use of surgery, injections and denervation procedures.
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“Internationally, clinical practice guidelines on LBP consistently recommend non-pharmacological and non-surgical approaches as the first line of treatment.6–8”
In the citing paper
“For chronic back pain, recommendations are education, exercise and psychological therapies.6–9”
Citations
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Metadata
- Authors
- Almeida, M., Saragiotto, B., Richards, B., & Maher, C. G.
- Affiliations
- Universidade de São Paulo (BR)
- The University of Sydney (AU)
- Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (AU)
- University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW
- Venue
- Medical Journal of Australia
- Publisher
- AMPCo
- Published
- 2018-04
- Volume
- 208
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 272-275
- ISSN
- 0025-729X (ISSN-L)
- 1326-5377
- OpenAlex
- W2794567591
- Cited by
- 174
- References
- 28
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 25 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 25 · 2022: 33 · 2021: 26 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 7
- FWCI
- 10.81
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- Locations
- The Medical Journal of Australia (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation › Musculoskeletal pain and rehabilitation
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Spine and Intervertebral Disc Pathology
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Obstetrics and Gynecology › Pregnancy-related medical research
- Keywords
- non-specific low back pain, primary care management, triage, self-management, non-pharmacological treatment, exercise therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, multidisciplinary treatment, chronic low back pain, pharmacotherapy, electrotherapy, traction, orthoses, bed rest, spinal injections, denervation
- MeSH terms
- Algorithms, Humans, Primary Health Care, Triage, Low Back Pain, Practice Guidelines as Topic, Risk Assessment
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