Jeff Langmaid says low back pain costs Australia $5 billion a year and is the leading reason middle-aged people retire early. Chronic pain triggers depression and financial hardship. Clinicians who understand these stakes can talk to patients more effectively.
The Australian health System spends like 5 billion. That's in Australia, relatively small country, from a population perspective, $5 billion on low back pain each and every year. Here's the most impactful aspect. It's the most common health reason. Forcing middle aged Australians to retire early, that's a big issue. Many people out there can't really afford to retire early. And if you have low back pain, which has a psychologically devastating component and a depressive component to begin with, that's forcing you into an early retirement. And you're not saved well enough to be riding out into the sunset, living your best life, or say you even had the money and now you can't do the things you've been waiting to do your whole life. That's a real issue. These are really, really important things to understand because it helps you communicate in a more direct and accurate level with your patients.
