Low back pain.

General internists and family practitioners play an important role in the initial evaluation and treatment of acute low back pain and chronic low back pain. Given the usual time constraints placed on the primary care physician for evaluation of a patient with back pain, it is imperative that the generalist be acquainted and comfortable with the salient points in the history, the essentials of the examination, the appropriate use of diagnostic tests, and the effectiveness (or lack thereof) of available treatments.