Clinical guidelines - Clinical guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of acute low back pain

The purpose of clinical practice guidelines is to delineate an evidence-based common approach to a prevalent medical problem. A decade ago, Guidelines for Acute Low Back Pain (ALBP) care were published in Israel. This year, updated and upgraded guidelines were disseminated, sponsored by the IMA. In the present paper a summary of the new ALBP is reported, as well as a comparison with the prior 1996 guidelines. An evidence tag is attached to each recommendation, enabling the practitioner to examine his deliberations against the existing evidence. The guidelines are adapted from a recent European multidisciplinary document and will remain valid with periodic updating . Clinical practice guidelines are not intended to replace your careful clinical judgment and personal acquaintance with the patient in front of you. They may support your decisions by bringing you a summary of the existing evidence in the domain.