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<div id="topicContent" class="utdArticleSection utdStyle xhash_topicContent_scrollTarget"><div id="topicTitle">Evaluation of low back pain in adults</div> <span class="view"><div data-v-2a07518f="" data-v-a20af505="" class="view-in-language ds1-pa-compact ds1-utd-size-1 wk-js2"><div data-v-80b97b5e="" data-v-2a07518f="" class="wk-field wk-field-is-inline wk-field-small" input-id="view-in-language" label="Topic Language" name="view-in-language" hide-header=""><!----> <div data-v-80b97b5e="" class="wk-field-body"><div data-v-80b97b5e="" class="wk-field-select-container"><select data-v-80b97b5e="" id="view-in-language" tabindex="0" aria-label="Select Topic Language option" class="wk-field-select view-in-language-selector" name="view-in-language" placeholder="Select Language"><option data-v-80b97b5e="" disabled="" value="">Select Language</option> <option data-v-80b97b5e="" value="/contents/zh-Hans/evaluation-of-low-back-pain-in-adults">Chinese</option><option data-v-80b97b5e="" value="/contents/evaluation-of-low-back-pain-in-adults">English</option></select></div> <div data-v-80b97b5e="" class="wk-field-inlay"><span data-v-80b97b5e="" class="wk-field-icon wk-field-check-mark-icon"><!----></span></div> <!----></div></div></div></span><div class="authorSectionElem"><div class="authorsElementsLeft"><dl id="topicContributors"><dt><span> </span>Authors:</dt><dd><a href="/contents/evaluation-of-low-back-pain-in-adults/contributors" class="contributor contributor_credentials" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Stephanie G Wheeler, MD</a></dd><dd><a href="/contents/evaluation-of-low-back-pain-in-adults/contributors" class="contributor contributor_credentials" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jeffrey G Jarvik, MD, MPH</a></dd><dd><a href="/contents/evaluation-of-low-back-pain-in-adults/contributors" class="contributor contributor_credentials" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Roger Chou, MD</a></dd><dt><span> </span>Section Editor:</dt><dd><a href="/contents/evaluation-of-low-back-pain-in-adults/contributors" class="contributor contributor_credentials" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Steven J Atlas, MD, MPH</a></dd><dt><span> </span>Deputy Editor:</dt><dd><a href="/contents/evaluation-of-low-back-pain-in-adults/contributors" class="contributor contributor_credentials" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Karen Law, MD, FACP</a></dd></dl><div id="literatureReviewDate"><div class="litReviewSingleLine"><bdi><span class="emphasis">Literature review current through:</span>&nbsp;Jun 2025.</bdi></div><div class="litReviewSingleLine"><bdi><span class="emphasis">This topic last updated:</span>&nbsp;Jul 18, 2025.</bdi></div></div></div></div><div id="topicText"><p class="headingAnchor css_h1" id="xhash_H1"><span class="h1 xhash_H1_scrollTarget">INTRODUCTION</span></p><p class="css_h1">It is estimated that up to 84 percent of adults have low back pain at some time in their lives [<a href="/contents/evaluation-of-low-back-pain-in-adults/abstract/1,2" class="abstract_t">1,2</a>]. For many individuals, episodes of back pain are self-limited. Patients who continue to have back pain beyond the acute period (four weeks) have subacute back pain (lasting between 4 and 12 weeks) and may go on to develop chronic back pain (persists for ≥12 weeks) [<a href="/contents/evaluation-of-low-back-pain-in-adults/abstract/3" class="abstract_t">3</a>]. Rarely, back pain is an indicator of serious medical illness.</p><p class="css_h1">This discussion will focus on an approach to the initial evaluation of a patient seeking evaluation of low back pain with a health care professional, including diagnostic testing. Most patients in this group will have acute low back pain; however, the initial evaluation described in this topic is recommended at the presenting visit and with any acute changes in back pain, regardless of the overall duration of symptoms.</p><p class="css_h1">The treatment of acute, subacute, and chronic low back pain is discussed separately:</p><p class="bulletIndent1 css_h1"><span class="glyph">●</span>(See  <a href="/contents/treatment-of-acute-low-back-pain?search=lumbar+strain&amp;topicRef=7782&amp;source=see_link" class="medical medical_review">"Treatment of acute low back pain"</a>.)</p><p class="bulletIndent1 css_h1"><span class="glyph">●</span>(See  <a href="/contents/subacute-and-chronic-low-back-pain-management?search=lumbar+strain&amp;topicRef=7782&amp;source=see_link" class="medical medical_review">"Subacute and chronic low back pain: Management"</a>.)</p><a id="xhash_H38922042" class="headingAnchor emptyAnchor xhash_H38922042_scrollTarget"></a><a id="xhash_H2" class="headingAnchor emptyAnchor xhash_H2_scrollTarget"></a><a id="xhash_H38923086" class="headingAnchor emptyAnchor xhash_H38923086_scrollTarget"></a><a id="xhash_H460846617" class="headingAnchor emptyAnchor xhash_H460846617_scrollTarget"></a><a id="xhash_H22126536" class="headingAnchor emptyAnchor xhash_H22126536_scrollTarget"></a><a id="xhash_H22126557" class="headingAnchor emptyAnchor xhash_H22126557_scrollTarget"></a><a id="xhash_H22126692" class="headingAnchor emptyAnchor xhash_H22126692_scrollTarget"></a><a id="xhash_H6" class="headingAnchor emptyAnchor xhash_H6_scrollTarget"></a><a id="xhash_H7" class="headingAnchor emptyAnchor xhash_H7_scrollTarget"></a><a id="xhash_H12" class="headingAnchor emptyAnchor xhash_H12_scrollTarget"></a><a id="xhash_H38930907" class="headingAnchor emptyAnchor xhash_H38930907_scrollTarget"></a><a id="xhash_H83194028" class="headingAnchor emptyAnchor xhash_H83194028_scrollTarget"></a><a id="xhash_H38931125" class="headingAnchor emptyAnchor xhash_H38931125_scrollTarget"></a><a id="xhash_H38932910" class="headingAnchor emptyAnchor xhash_H38932910_scrollTarget"></a><a id="xhash_H593598684" class="headingAnchor emptyAnchor xhash_H593598684_scrollTarget"></a><a id="xhash_H4195085599" class="headingAnchor emptyAnchor xhash_H4195085599_scrollTarget"></a><a id="xhash_H937554371" class="headingAnchor emptyAnchor xhash_H937554371_scrollTarget"></a><a id="xhash_H1500315733" class="headingAnchor emptyAnchor xhash_H1500315733_scrollTarget"></a><a id="xhash_H1844354671" class="headingAnchor emptyAnchor xhash_H1844354671_scrollTarget"></a><a id="xhash_H1675292095" class="headingAnchor emptyAnchor xhash_H1675292095_scrollTarget"></a><a id="xhash_H3288993354" class="headingAnchor emptyAnchor xhash_H3288993354_scrollTarget"></a><a id="xhash_H459847140" class="headingAnchor emptyAnchor xhash_H459847140_scrollTarget"></a><a id="xhash_H930008814" class="headingAnchor emptyAnchor xhash_H930008814_scrollTarget"></a><a id="xhash_H22" class="headingAnchor emptyAnchor xhash_H22_scrollTarget"></a><a id="xhash_H23" class="headingAnchor emptyAnchor xhash_H23_scrollTarget"></a><a id="xhash_H2337494013" class="headingAnchor emptyAnchor xhash_H2337494013_scrollTarget"></a></div><div data-v-a20af505="" id="subscribeInterrupt" class="subscribe-message-banner"><div class="subscribe_header_message">To continue reading this article, you must sign in with your personal, hospital, or group practice subscription.</div> <!----> <div class="subscribe-interrupt-login-register-section"><div class="login-register-section-item"><a data-v-e300e72a="" href="/store" class="utd-button utd-button-link utd-button-size-large utd-button-color-green-shade-3 utd-button-style-default link-button-1" track="enabled" role="button"><!----> <span data-v-e300e72a="" class="utd-button-link-text"><!----> Subscribe</span> <!----></a></div> <div class="login-register-section-item"><a data-v-e300e72a="" href="/login" class="utd-button utd-button-link utd-button-size-large utd-button-color-blue utd-button-style-default link-button-2" track="enabled" role="button"><!----> <span data-v-e300e72a="" class="utd-button-link-text"><!----> Sign in</span> <!----></a></div></div></div><div id="disclaimer" class="xhash_disclaimerContent_scrollTarget">Disclaimer: This generalized information is a limited summary of diagnosis, treatment, and/or medication information. 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