SCIENTIFIC APPLICATION OF SPORTS MEDICINE PRINCIPLES FOR ACUTE LOW-BACK PROBLEMS

The Agency for Health Care Policy and Research low Back Guideline Pane l (AHCPR, Guideline #14) truly brought to life sports medicine princip les in the care of the most common and expensive musculoskeletal probl em by focusing on the basic activity paradigm of musculoskeletal limit ations. Twenty-three experts and seven international consultants led a review of over 10,000 abstracts and evaluation of over 4,600 articles . This effort was to establish scientifically how any clinician can: i i safely be sure that the patient only has a back problem, 2) offer sa fe options for comfort, and 3) concentrate on the real treatment for a n activity intolerance with sports medicine principles: activity: not rest, begets activity tolerance. Evidence cables and their subsequent derivation as ''Finding and Recommendation Statements'' provide an und erstanding of what medical science can and cannot presently support as predictable.