The frequency or in medical terms, Epidemiology, of Back Pain is a difficult one. Because there are no objectives signs of Back Pain it is difficult for the medical establishment to accumulate solid data. One fact is indistinguishable. The relation of Back Pain and the workplace. Recent data from 1985-88 national health interviews found that Back-Disorders resulted in 175 million lost workdays every year. The most common variety of back pain diagnosis for these subjects was Lower Back Sprain resulting in hospitalization of as many as 100,000 persons. People over the age of 45 are the most highly effected by Back Pain, severely limiting their activity. In addition, Back Pain is the second most common reason for physician visits among all Chronic Pain disorders. National Hospital data also place intervertebral disc disorders at the top of musculoskeletal disorders, resulting in over 400,000 hospitalizations per year. Quite astonishing numbers.
		Back Pain data for foreign countries is quite similar to that of the United States. For instance, in Great Britain from 1998-89, low back pain was the single largest cause of sick leave, accounting for 12.5% of all sick days. In Sweden the rate was 13.5% of all sick days. Dutch, Canadian, German and Finnish were all similar in percentage as well.
		Although back pain data on all these countries may be similar there is a wide disparity in lower back surgeries. Back Surgery rates are much higher in the U.S. than in any other country. A comparison of 13 different countries shows that the United States back surgery rate is at least 40% higher than any other country. Actually, the number of persons operated in the U.S. is five times that of Great Britain and Scotland.
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