WHO guideline for non-surgical management of chronic primary low back pain in adults in primary and community care settings: executive summary
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World Health Organization
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9 p.
This executive summary presents the World Health Organization guideline on the non-surgical management of chronic primary low back pain (CPLBP) in adults, including older people, in primary and community care settings. Low back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide and represents a major public health challenge due to its growing prevalence, associated disability, socioeconomic consequences and impact on health systems. The guideline was developed to address the need for globally relevant, evidence-based recommendations that support universal health coverage and healthy ageing across diverse country contexts. Using WHO guideline development methods and the GRADE approach, the guideline evaluates the benefits and harms of non-surgical interventions for adults with CPLBP, with or without spine-related leg pain. Recommendations cover five intervention categories: education, physical interventions, psychological interventions, medicines and multicomponent care. The guideline provides recommendations in favour of selected interventions, including structured education, exercise programmes, certain psychological approaches and multidisciplinary biopsychosocial care, while advising against routine use of several interventions and medicines where harms may outweigh benefits or evidence is insufficient. The recommendations emphasize person-centred, equitable and integrated care, and support individualized management based on clinical assessment, patient preferences and local health system contexts.
This executive summary presents the World Health Organization guideline on the non-surgical management of chronic primary low back pain (CPLBP) in adults, including older people, in primary and community care settings. Low back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide and represents a major public health challenge due to its growing prevalence, associated disability, socioeconomic consequences and impact on health systems. The guideline was developed to address the need for globally relevant, evidence-based recommendations that support universal health coverage and healthy ageing across diverse country contexts. Using WHO guideline development methods and the GRADE approach, the guideline evaluates the benefits and harms of non-surgical interventions for adults with CPLBP, with or without spine-related leg pain. Recommendations cover five intervention categories: education, physical interventions, psychological interventions, medicines and multicomponent care. The guideline provides recommendations in favour of selected interventions, including structured education, exercise programmes, certain psychological approaches and multidisciplinary biopsychosocial care, while advising against routine use of several interventions and medicines where harms may outweigh benefits or evidence is insufficient. The recommendations emphasize person-centred, equitable and integrated care, and support individualized management based on clinical assessment, patient preferences and local health system contexts.