Approximately 12% to 33% of
the adult workforce is affected by low back pain each
year, and it has been suggested that
70% to 95% of adults will have low
back pain at some time during their
lives.
1–6 The California Board of
Worker Compensation ranks low
back pain (and other, related ICD-9
diagnoses) as the primary reason for
missed workdays and restrictedactivity days.
7 Unlike the expenses
associated with the management of
other orthopedic disorders, the ex-
penses associated with the manage-
ment of back pain have increased
over the last 20 to 30 years