If you are reading this article, chances are you already have or will experience low back pain (LBP) at some point in your life. Approximately 84 percent of adults will be afflicted by LBP in their lifetime.
Since LBP is so common, it can be difficult to determine causation. The challenge is deciding whether a patient’s LBP is truly caused by his or her work duties or if it is merely a coincidence that the pain is first experienced while working because much of our waking hours are spent in the workplace. Fortunately, regardless of the causation, most episodes of LBP are self-limiting and resolve within four to seven weeks without any formal treatment.
This month’s article is written by Jennifer Garrett Benson, MPAS, PA-C, a Physician Assistant at WorkPartners Occupational Health Specialists.