Video resources for clinicians - Low Back Pain Clinical Care Standard

Introduction for clinicians – Low Back Pain Clinical Care Standard

Associate Professor Liz Marles, GP and Clinical Director for Primary Care at the Commission, introduces key elements of the clinical care standard with a focus on three areas:

• The importance of a targeted history and physical examination and consideration of the signs of serious pathology,
• Evidence-based approaches to the management of low back pain, and
• Avoiding unnecessary or unhelpful treatment and investigation.

Reserving imaging for serious pathology - Low Back Pain Clinical Care Standard

Professor Peter O’Sullivan, specialist musculoskeletal physiotherapist, discusses some of the risks associated with inappropriate use of imaging for patients without signs of serious pathology. Unhelpful messaging and diagnostic labels can impact a person’s beliefs and behaviours in ways that delay recovery. Clinicians have an important role to play in reassuring patients that while their back pain is painful and distressing, they can recover with the right care.

Psychosocial contributors to pain - Low Back Pain Clinical Care Standard

Prof Michael Nicholas, clinical psychologist and pain management expert, discusses the role of psychosocial factors in a person’s experience of pain and their risk of prolonged disability. He emphasises the importance of a psychosocial assessment to guide further assessment and intervention and explains the simple tools that can help.

Judicious use of pain medicines - Low Back Pain Clinical Care Standard

Associate Professor Liz Marles, GP and Clinical Director for Primary Care at the Commission, discusses the appropriate use of pain medicines (including opioid analgesics) in low back pain and how they can be used most effectively and safely to support recovery.

Consumer Video – Joe’s story

In this video, Joe shares his experience with low back pain over several years and provides important insights on what aspects of his care were helpful, and what could have been better. The Low Back Pain Clinical Care Standard focuses on the early management of low back pain. Joe’s story shows why the early appropriate management of people experiencing an acute episode is so important to reduce the chances of developing chronic low back pain.