Acute low back pain (LBP) is a very common condition that will affect up to two thirds of adults in their lifetime. One often wonders if imaging of x-rays or MRI’s are needed for their back pain. Research backs up seeking early physical therapy for acute low back pain (without associated radiculopathy) reduces healthcare costs and unnecessary utilization of specific health services, including imaging (i.e. x-ray, MRI). H. Kim 2019, demonstrates that individuals who had undergone physical therapy had LESS THAN HALF the healthcare costs than individuals who received imaging before physical therapy or did not have physical therapy at all. – (To put numbers to it — 95% CI, $506-$513 compared to 95% CI, $1240-$1249).
Moral of the story – early PT intervention within 30 days of injury will reduce your healthcare costs. If you have low back pain, reach out and we will let you know how we can help!
1. Lateef, Humaira. “What Is the Role of Imaging in Acute Low Back Pain?” Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine 2.2 (2009): 69–73. Web. 2. Arnold, Elizabeth. “The Effect of Timing of Physical Therapy for Acute Low Back Pain on Health Services Utilization: A Systematic Review.” American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. 2019. 3. Kim LH, Vail D, Azad TD, et al. Expenditures and Health Care Utilization Among Adults With Newly Diagnosed Low Back and Lower Extremity Pain. JAMA Netw Open. 2019.
