Low back pain (LBP) is a condition that, while chronic and debilitating, is often underestimated in terms of its significant impact on both patients and society. It is a condition that affects an estimated 50 million people worldwide and nearly 20 million in the US, is second only to respiratory ailments as reasons for trips to the doctor and to headaches as the most frequent cause of pain, and is the leading cause of missed work days in the US, costing the nation's health care system $60 billion and American businesses more than $15 billion annually. LBP is also projected to grow by 10% per year. Yet Kevin L Nickels, president and CEO of Kinesis Medical Inc. , which has developed a therapeutic orthotic device to treat low back pain, contends that this area has traditionally been a "cynical backwater" for health care professionals who are frequently unable to effectively treat this condition.
A healthy spine protects the spinal cord and supports the body while allowing it to move freely. The vertebrae and the discs between them are aligned in three natural curves...
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