Disorders of the spine. A major health and social problem

According to the data published in The Lancet, in 2010 musculoskeletal disorders were the cause of nearly 166 million years lived with disability (YLDs), with neck and low back pain accounting for 69.9% of the total. In Poland, in 2014 low back pain was self-reported by 28.4% of women and 21.2% of men aged 15 years and over, neck pain by 21% of women and 13% of men, and middle back pain by 19% of women and 12.9% of men. In 2015, nearly 33 million man-days were lost due to spine disorders, and nearly 2.7 million medical certificates were issued for back pain (15% of the total). With the current demographic changes (population ageing) and lifestyle-related factors increasing the potential for back problems, the demand for a wide range of medical services to treat disorders of the spine and their symptoms may be expected to increase substantially over the coming years.