Low Back Pain: Diagnosis and Management

Dear Colleagues,

In most countries of the world, low back pain is listed among the most common causes of disability. It is estimated that the percentage of people who will experience low back pain at least once in their life exceeds 80%. Despite such a widespread prevalence of the problem, making a precise diagnosis and prescribing adequate treatment are not possible in the vast majority of cases of low back pain. In many countries, radiography, computed tomography, or magnetic resonance imaging is now a standard diagnostic procedure used by specialists to diagnose low back pain. Depending on the severity of the patient's symptoms and their duration, as well as the results of the imaging test, a decision is made to start conservative treatment, surgery, pharmacotherapy, physiotherapy, or another method of reducing pain. Unfortunately, imaging of the spine in the case of non-specific ailments most often does not explain the mechanism of pain, as evidenced by studies on groups of asymptomatic people. Current observations confirm the low diagnostic, prognostic, and differential value of spinal imaging tests in the case of common low back pain. Moreover, the overuse of these tests is expensive and increases the risk of iatrogenic complications. Another disturbing phenomenon is the cascade effect, which, in the context of health care, can be defined as a sequence of events initiated by an unnecessary test, its unexpected result, and the patient's or specialist's fear. This results in further inappropriate testing or treatment, increasing morbidity and escalating side-effects. With respect to low back pain, the cascade effect of an unjustified MRI examination also has long-term economic consequences.

This Special Issue aims to collect papers on the diagnosis and management of LBP, including but not limited to the following content:

• Clinical diagnosis of low back pain;
• Differential diagnosis of low back pain;
• Diagnosis of chronic low back pain;
• Diagnosis of nonspecific low back pain;
• Measures of function in low back pain;
• Clinical diagnosis of low back pain;
• Diagnosis of sacroiliac pain;
• Functional assessment of sacroiliac joint dysfunction;
• Assessment of red flags in low back pain;
• Assessment of yellow flags in low back pain;
• Biopsychosocial model of the process of diagnosis and management of low back pain.

We look forward to your submission.

Prof. Dr. Edward Saulicz
Guest Editor

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• clinical diagnosis
• low back pain
• nonspecific low back pain
• discogenic low back pain
• sacroiliac pain
• sacroiliac joint dysfunction
• assessment of red flags in low back pain
• assessment of yellow flags in low back pain
• biopsychosocial model