Low back pain in older adults – the need for specific outcome and psychometric tools

Abstract

Arnold Y Wong,1 Dino Samartzis21Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China; 2Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of ChinaThe average human life expectancy has increased significantly worldwide due to advances in medicine, health care delivery, and technology over recent years.1 The United Nations has estimated that the proportion of older individuals aged 60 or over in the world will increase threefold by the year 2050.2 However, the fast growth of the aging population is accompanied by global increase in the incidence of low back pain (LBP) complaints and associated medical costs.3

Keywords

• low back pain
• older people
• geriatrics
• outcome measures
• clinical assessments
• imaging