SPINAL OSTEOARTHRITIS

Course overview

OSTEOARTHRITIS IS A COMMON CONDITION INVOLVING ARTICULAR SURFACES THAT CAN DEVELOP GRADUALLY OVER TIME INTO A DEBILITATING CONDITION, WHICH CAUSES PAIN AND RESTRICTION OF MOTION. AN ESTIMATED 80% OF AMERICANS HAVE AN EPISODE OF LOW BACK PAIN DURING THEIR LIFETIME. LOW BACK PAIN IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON CAUSES OF HEALTHCARE VISITS IN THE UNITED STATES, ACCOUNTING FOR OVER 45 MILLION TRIPS IN 2006. SPINE OSTEOARTHRITIS IS A PRIMARY SOURCE OF CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN. WHILE MOST CASES OF SPINE ARTHRITIS-RELATED PAIN ARE SELF-LIMITED, REQUIRING ONLY CONSERVATIVE THERAPY, CHRONIC BACK PAIN ATTRIBUTES TO THE CAUSE OF SIGNIFICANT HEALTHCARE DOLLARS. TWENTY-THREE PERCENT OF INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN ACCOUNTS FOR MOST HEALTHCARE DOLLARS SPENT ON BACK PAIN EACH YEAR IN THE UNITED STATES. ONE HUNDRED TO 200 BILLION DOLLARS ARE SPENT ANNUALLY ON BACK PAIN ALONE IN THE U.S.A. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE TREATMENT OF SPINAL OSTEOARTHRITIS. IT DISCUSSES ITS PREVALENCE IN THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD AND ITS CLINICAL PRESENTATION, DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS, COMPLICATIONS, TREATMENT OPTIONS, AND POTENTIAL PREVENTATIVE FACTORS.