[Is it possible to objectively study back pain in orthopedic practice?]

The authors concentrate on vertebral diseases in the polyclinic practice, they emphasize their sociomedical significance. The statistical data are presented to document the number of examinations and the prevalence of work inability during the last 5 years which has an increasing tendency. To emphasize the problem of the objectification of the vertebral painful syndrome at the polyclinic they present two case reports, draw attention to the dissension of views of polyclinic specialists as concerns etiopathogenesis of vertebral diseases and related to it the problem of objectification with regard to work ability. According to the authors' view the vertebral syndrome can be precisely objectified on the basis of a profound functional examination. This important sociomedical problem of vertebral diseases in relation to work ability could be improved from the organizational view point also by appointing one physician at the polyclinic who would pursue this task comprehensively substituting a number of specialists who at present have to deal with it as part of their duties.