Introduction
Low back pain (LBP) continues to be one of the leading
causes of sickness absence, lost productivity, and activity limitation in the workplace [1]. The total economic cost of
LBP in Canada has been estimated at over 8 billion dollars
per year [2], with a prevalence of compensation claims for
LBP of approximately 38 % in the working population [3].
Most concerning is the duration of work disability following
sick leave for LBP, which contributes to staggering
economic costs to health care, employers, employees, and
society [4]. Studies have shown that a small percentage of
long-term LBP claims account for the majority of claim
costs, with 15–25 % of claims accounting for 79–96 % of
the total LBP costs [4]. In Ontario, reports from the
workers’ compensation system have indicated that an
increasing number of LBP claims are exceeding 1 year in
duration [5]. This trend of increasing disability will continue
to escalate the costs associated with LBP.