Interdisciplinary collaboration in general practice to improve the management of non-specific low back pain (BackinLife)

In Denmark, the prevalence of lower back pain is widespread and results in more than 3.5 million annual visits to general practitioners. The cause of lower back pain is often unclear, as it is influenced by physical, psychological, and social factors that affect patients' conditions. Clinical guidelines recommend treatment focusing on self-management, an active daily life, and easy access to guidance and information. Despite a substantial amount of research in the field, it remains unclear how we can ensure that patients with lower back pain receive a rehabilitation process that meets these guidelines.

The project consists of three studies. Study 1 investigates an existing treatment offer for patients with nonspecific lower back pain in general practice through a process evaluation. This evaluation will gather information from healthcare professionals and patients with lower back pain who are familiar with or have undergone the existing offer. Based on the results from Study 1, an early physiotherapeutic intervention in general practice will be developed through a co-creation study (Study 2). This will involve a working group consisting of 10-15 patients with lower back pain, 4-6 general practitioners, and 4-6 physiotherapists. In Study 3, this intervention will be tested on a minimum of 38 patients with lower back pain who seek help in general practice, and the results will be evaluated in a feasibility study. The results from this project will demonstrate how the rehabilitation of patients with lower back pain is currently managed in general practice and whether patients who receive an early new physiotherapeutic intervention in general practice become better at managing their pain and functional impairment independently.