Nonspecific low back pain in general practice: a delicate point (A descriptive study on the clinical relevance)

LBP is usually a self-limiting symptom. It generally has no impact on the average life expectancy and major medical interventions are not necessary. The major problem of LBP is that such a benign physical condition not only incurs high costs due to sickness leave and incapacity for work, but also demands much of health care resources (Van Tulder 1995). The expenditure on LBP includes the costs of the GP, radiodiagnostics, prescriptions, the (physio)therapist, and the medical specialist in an out-patient clinic (Liu 1995). In the Netherlands, musculoskeletal disorders, with LBP as the main cause, are the most frequent reason for sickness leave (Moens 1993). Annually, 2.5 per 1,000 employees become incapacitated for work due to LBP: a total of approximately 18,000 persons per year. In most cases, a specific cause for LBP cannot be found (Verbeek 1993). Of all reasons for visiting a GP approximately 15% are for musculoskeletal disorders, of which LBP is the most frequently occurring reason (Lamberts 1991a).

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