Are You a Low Back and Neck Pain Expert?

Study Notes

Prevalence, Classification, and Treatment of Low Back and Neck Pain

Low back pain is reported by 60% of people at some point in their life.
In 2022, there are expected to be 13.2 million GP consultations for low back pain with a cost to SNHS of 398 million.
Low back pain is typically experienced by individuals aged 20-55 years and is characterized by mechanical pain without irradiation.
There are five classifications of low back pain, including acute, sub-acute, chronic, with radiating pain, and related cognitive or affective tendencies.
Measures not recommended for low back pain include complete rest, immobilizing orthoses (if no fractures present), and education, unloading, and mobilization maneuvers.
Exercise and education are recommended for chronic low back pain, with a focus on global techniques and lumbopelvic stabilization, transversus abdominis training, and peripheral and segmental pain treatment.
Rest for 2-7 days is worse than ordinary activity for low back pain, and advice to continue ordinary activity gives better results.
Specific back exercises produce clinically significant improvement in acute low back pain, and core control exercises may produce short-term symptomatic improvement.
Risk factors for chronic low back pain include previous history of low back pain, nerve root involvement, poor physical fitness, heavy smoking, psychological distress, disproportionate illness behavior, and low job satisfaction.
One-third of the population experiences neck pain at least once in their life, with 10% of both sexes affected, and women experiencing it more frequently.
Neck pain is commonly associated with work activity and can result in temporary incapacity, with an average inactivity of 50 days.
There are four classifications of neck pain, including mobility deficit, movement coordination disorders, headache (cervicogenic), and radiating pain, with each requiring different assessment and treatment approaches.

Prevalence, Classification, and Treatment of Low Back and Neck Pain

Low back pain is reported by 60% of people at some point in their life.
In 2022, there are expected to be 13.2 million GP consultations for low back pain with a cost to SNHS of 398 million.
Low back pain is typically experienced by individuals aged 20-55 years and is characterized by mechanical pain without irradiation.
There are five classifications of low back pain, including acute, sub-acute, chronic, with radiating pain, and related cognitive or affective tendencies.
Measures not recommended for low back pain include complete rest, immobilizing orthoses (if no fractures present), and education, unloading, and mobilization maneuvers.
Exercise and education are recommended for chronic low back pain, with a focus on global techniques and lumbopelvic stabilization, transversus abdominis training, and peripheral and segmental pain treatment.
Rest for 2-7 days is worse than ordinary activity for low back pain, and advice to continue ordinary activity gives better results.
Specific back exercises produce clinically significant improvement in acute low back pain, and core control exercises may produce short-term symptomatic improvement.
Risk factors for chronic low back pain include previous history of low back pain, nerve root involvement, poor physical fitness, heavy smoking, psychological distress, disproportionate illness behavior, and low job satisfaction.
One-third of the population experiences neck pain at least once in their life, with 10% of both sexes affected, and women experiencing it more frequently.
Neck pain is commonly associated with work activity and can result in temporary incapacity, with an average inactivity of 50 days.
There are four classifications of neck pain, including mobility deficit, movement coordination disorders, headache (cervicogenic), and radiating pain, with each requiring different assessment and treatment approaches.