Week 1- Low Back Intro

Question 1

What is the most common complaint of pain among adults in the US?

Answer 1

1) Low back pain

2) Knee pain

Question 2

Spending on low back pain matches the spending on what conditions?

Answer 2

Cancer and diabetes

Question 3

What proportion of patients in a PT practice are being treated for LBP?

Answer 3

50%

Question 4

What are the most commonly prescribed drugs for LBP?

Answer 4

Opioids

Question 5

What proportion of Medicare beneficiaries received an opioid prescription in 2015?

Answer 5

1/3

Question 6

What effect might the overprescription of opioids have on illegal use of heroin?

Answer 6

They become addicted to opioids through their prescription, and they turn to use of heroin when they can no longer refill their prescription

Question 7

Describe the epidemic of prescription drug abuse

Answer 7

• 44 people/day die from opioid OD
• Leading cause of accidental death in 2013 (> than car accidents)
• Cost $55.7 bil in 2007
• Opioid prescription grown 4x b/t 1999-2013
• 28647 deaths in 2014

Question 8

How physical therapists contribute to the LBP problem?

Answer 8

• There’s consistent evidence of a failure of PTs to incorporate research findings into clinical practice
• 30-40% do not get effective treatment
• 20-25% receive treatment of no benefit/potential harm

Question 9

Cost of care when imaging is done first compared to when PT is done first to resolve LBP

Answer 9

$ 2100-2200 vs $ 900-1000

Question 10

What percentage of LBP patients receive PT w/in 90 days?

Answer 10

7%

Question 11

What was the savings of medical costs with early PT?

Answer 11

~2736

Question 12

What happens to the health outcomes common to LBP (i.e. opioid use, spinal injection, surgery, imaging, etc) when PT is used early?

Answer 12

They all become less likely to occur