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Care Pathway for the Management of Non-specific Low Back Pain
Is treatment required?
Determine if ongoing clinical care is necessary.
Patients with mild low back pain may not require ongoing clinical care. Rather, they can be managed with reassurance, education, returning to usual activities as tolerated, and staying active.
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Involve the patient in care planning and decision-making
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Reassure patients about the benign and self-limiting nature of their pain
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Educate patients about the benefits of being actively engaged and participating in their care plan by remaining active and continuing movement
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Emphasize active rather than passive treatments
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Deliver a time-limited program of care
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Do not provide ineffective or experimental treatments
Symptom duration?
No
No
No
Yes
Are symptoms ≤3 months?
Yes
Management of Symptoms
Based on shared decision making between the patient and provider, any one of the following therapeutic interventions is recommended:
Yes
Yes
No
No
Discharge
Are symptoms >3 months?
Management of Symptoms
Based on shared decision making between the patient and provider, any one of the following therapeutic interventions is recommended:
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Yes
Yes
Yes
Discharge
Yes
No
No