Confidence

Factors which predict a poor outcome following an episode of acute low back pain are related to attitudes and beliefs, not anatomy or biomechanics. As a result, general practitioners are in an excellent position to help someone manage their back pain.

General practitioners

  • Know the person, how their back pain may affect their life, and how their life may affect their back pain
  • Can prescribe pain relief to make people more comfortable and facilitate their return to activity 
  • Can prescribe work at an appropriate level to maximise the psychological, emotional, social, and physical benefits 
  • Are very good at ruling out any potentially serious conditions which can cause back pain

The spine

As well as being confident in you, your patients can be confident in their spine. It is a strong, robust, adaptable structure. Back pain is a normal part of human existence, but it does not represent significant weakness or damage.