[Clinical guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of chronic low back pain]

The purpose of clinical practice guidelines is to delineate an evidence-based common approach to a prevalent medical problem. Guidelines for Chronic Low Back Pain (CLBP) care were never published in Israel previously, contrary to the Acute Low Back Pain (ALBP) guidelinges. This year, such guidelines are disseminated sponsored by the IMA. In the present paper a summary of the new CLBP care guideline is reported. To each recommendation an evidence level is attached, enabling the practitioner to examine his deliberations against the existing evidence. The guidelines are adapted from a recent European multidisciplinary document and will stay valid with periodic updating. Clinical practice guidelines are not intended to replace careful clinical judgment and personal acquaintance with the patient in. They may support decisions by bringing a summary of the existing evidence in the domain.