GLAD BACK PROGRAM CANBERRA

GLA:D^® BACK is a treatment option for patients with persistent or recurrent low back pain that affects everyday life. The program was developed by researchers and clinicians at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU).

The program follows the Danish National Board of Health’s clinical guideline recommendations for the treatment of patients with back pain and is based on principles of self-management similar to GLA:D^® for patients with knee and hip pain.

GLA:D^® BACK consists of:

1. EDUCATION of chiropractors and physiotherapists in running GLA:D^® BACK courses for patients.
2. TREATMENT PROGRAM consisting of education and a structured exercise program
3. REGISTRATION of patient data in the GLA:D^® registry

The purpose of GLA:D^® BACK is to help patients manage their back pain better themselves through a well-described and structured course of treatment. SDU therefore teaches physiotherapists and chiropractors to offer patient education and exercise based on the best evidence. Registrations in a clinical registry ensure that the results are documented and that, together, we create new knowledge about back pain, so that GLA:D^® BACK can be continuously improved.

Patient education and supervised exercise for patients with persistent back pain are recommended as first-line interventions in Danish and international guidelines based on expert reviews of hundreds of randomized controlled trials. Patient education and exercise have positive effects on back problems and little risk of harms. At the same time, education and exercise have been shown to prevent new episodes of back pain. Evidence and theories behind GLA:D^® BACK have been published BioMed Central (BMC) Musculoskeletal Disorders.

The program is designed for patients with persistent and/or recurrent back pain that negatively affects their everyday life and function. The patient and the therapist jointly decide whether GLA:D^® BACK is relevant. As with any other treatment, the decision about patient participation in a GLA:D^® BACK course is based on a clinical assessment and patient preference.