NICE is an independent organisation responsible for providing national guidance on promoting good health and preventing and treating ill health. Its guideline on the acute management of patients with chronic low back pain was published in May 2009.
The evidence-based recommendations include the following:
Provide people with advice and information to promote self-management of their low back pain.
Consider offering a course of manual therapy including spinal manipulation of up to 9 sessions over up to 12 weeks
Consider offering a course of acupuncture needling comprising up to 10 sessions over a period of up to 12 weeks
Consider offering a structured exercise programme tailored to the individual
Low back pain: early management of persistent non-specific low back pain