[Occupational and social impact of lower back pain]

Serious and lasting lower back pain is a major source of sick leave, invalidity or loss of employment. Lower back pains has steadily accounted over the years for a quarter of occupational accidents and wasted working days. Slipped disc related radiculalgia only induced by vibrations (driving) or manhandling heavy loads and diagnosed by medical imaging are compensated. For 5 years French data have decreased from 2500 cases/year in 1999 down to 1800 cases/year observed in 2002. French compensation registering is discussed. The interest of prevention and of early and total support including the specialist, the general practitioner and the occupational physician together with the ergonomist and the human resources is pointed.