ABSTRACT
Low back disorders continue to be a widespread problem. In a recent review of the literature, the National
Research Council (2001) found 22.4 million Americans had back pain for at least a week during the past
12-month period and estimated that back pain accounted for 149 million lost workdays. In the state of
Ohio alone, the total cost of back injury claims was over 200 million dollars in 1996 (Hamrick, 2000).
Given the rising costs of medical care and inflation, the economic impact due to low back injury
would only be expected to increase. Appropriate medical management may minimize both the human
and economic impacts of these injuries.
