Low back pain is an extremely common problem that most people
experience at some point in their life. While substantial heterogeneity
exists among low back pain epidemiological studies
limiting the ability to compare and pool data, estimates of the 1
year incidence of a first-ever episode of low back pain range
between 6.3% and 15.4%, while estimates of the 1 year incidence of
any episode of low back pain range between 1.5% and 36%. In
health facility- or clinic-based studies, episode remission at 1 year
ranges from 54% to 90%; however, most studies do not indicate
whether the episode was continuous between the baseline and
follow-up time point(s). Most people who experience activitylimiting
low back pain go on to have recurrent episodes. Estimates
of recurrence at 1 year range from 24% to 80%. Given the variation
in definitions of remission and recurrence, further populationbased
research is needed to assess the daily patterns of low back
pain episodes over 1 year and longer. There is substantial information
on low back pain prevalence and estimates of the point
prevalence range from 1.0% to 58.1% (mean: 18.1%; median: 15.0%),
and 1 year prevalence from 0.8% to 82.5% (mean: 38.1%; median:
37.4%). Due to the heterogeneity of the data, mean estimates need
to be interpreted with caution. Many environmental and personal
factors influence the onset and course of low back pain. Studies
have found the incidence of low back pain is highest in the third
decade, and overall prevalence increases with age until the 60–65
year age group and then gradually declines. Other commonly
reported risk factors include low educational status, stress, anxiety,
depression, job dissatisfaction, low levels of social support in the
workplace and whole-body vibration. Low back pain has an
enormous impact on individuals, families, communities