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Rheumatology 2002; 41: 1-5
© 2002 British Society for Rheumatology

Editorials

Back pain

K. Mounce

Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Trust, Forest Dene Unit, Fairmile Road, Christchurch, Dorset BH23 2JX, UK

Disabling low back pain in industrialized societies has become the focus of wide-ranging research over the last 15 yr. The importance of its social and financial impact is not reflected in the current UK health provision agenda. The economic impact of days lost from work, invalidity benefit and health service utilization as a result of chronic back pain is enormous, having risen rapidly since the mid 1970s [1]. Benefit payments have plateaued in the last 3 yr [2]. The cause is unclear, but may be due to the ‘All work’ test and the use of acute back pain guidelines.

The 1-month prevalence of low back pain is 35–37%, with a slightly higher female prevalence. Lifetime prevalence is estimated at 59%, with peak prevalence between 45 and 59 yr of age [3]. Around 10% of back pain episodes lead to consultation with a general practitioner, . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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