Low Back Pain

Low back pain affects almost everyone at some point, and many people struggle with pain or limitations despite multiple attempts at treatment. Current spine care is plagued by variability, over-medicalization of biopsychosocial problems, inequity, and an over-emphasis on interventional and surgical care. Guidelines focused on the short-term management of acute low back pain are generally not followed and have limited applicability. Non-specific and poorly verified diagnoses further confound clinical care. The reality is that low back pain is a chronic recurrent problem for most individuals, and care should therefore be directed toward long-term management and optimization of life and function. Low Back Pain recognizes that all low back pain conditions are not created equally and focuses on effective treatments for a diverse set of low back pain issues. Part of the” What Do I Do Now?: Pain Medicine” series this text provides concise, evidence-based, and practical guidance on the management of back pain and related spinal disorders. With practical information on effective front-line care for those with low back pain, the cases in this book reflect common or illustrative clinical presentations and a solid framework for evaluating those with low back pain, clarity on specific conditions, and a critical approach to diagnosis and treatment.

About the Author

Dr. Standaert is a specialist in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R), serving as an Associate Professor and Vice Chair of the Department of PM&R at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in Pittsburgh, PA. He is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Medical School. He worked in the University of Washington Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, where he was a Clinical Professor, before joining the University of Pittsburgh. He has served numerous roles in state and federal governmental committees and actively collaborates with colleagues around the world in advancing our understanding of spine and musculoskeletal care and health policy. Dr. Friedly is a board-certified physiatrist and Professor and Chair of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Dr. Friedly received her undergraduate degree in 1994 from Stanford University and her medical degree from Oregon Health Sciences University in 2001. She completed her residency training in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) at the University of Washington in 2005. She also received her Master of Public Health from George Washington University in 2020. Dr. Friedly has extensive experience conducting patient centered outcomes and comparative effectiveness research related to low back pain. In addition to her 20-year research career, she also has served as the editor in chief of the PM&R, the official journal of the American Academy of PM&R since 2019 and has held a number of leadership roles within the University of Washington including the Chair of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine.