A comprehensive treatment approach to chronic low back pain.

A comprehensive treatment program for chronic disability related to back disease has been presented. This program has used not only more traditional methods of medical care for the structural disabilities of chronic mechanical back disorders, but has used principles of active patient participation in the improvement process. The patients are educated in the manifestations of pain behavior in the phase II treatment program emphasis on pain sources is downgraded to allow positive reinforcement for healthy behavior to develop. By use of an organized team approach, a significant number of patients can be processed; and an overall reduction in use of alternative medical resources has occurred.