epidemiology
Last reviewed 10/2020
- it affects around one-third of the adult UK population each year and out of these patients around 20% will go to a GP for consultation (around 2.6 million people each year) (1)
- peak prevalence of back pain is in those aged 45-59 years
- lifetime prevalence is between 49% to 70% (2)
- little difference in the prevalence in men and women.
- work related back pain is more common among males.
- 90% of acute episodes of low back pain will resolve within 6 weeks.
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