Where to Get Help

Building Your Care Team

For chronic low back pain, the most effective approach is often multidisciplinary — combining different types of care.

A Typical Effective Care Team

[!note] A typical effective care team Medical Doctor (GP or Specialist) — Diagnosis and medical management, medication if needed, referrals and coordination

Physical Therapist — Exercise program, movement retraining, self-management education

Optional Complementary Care — Massage for symptom relief, acupuncture, yoga / tai chi

Key Principles

1. Start with a diagnosis — See a physician to rule out serious conditions before pursuing other treatments
2. Prioritize active over passive — Treatments where you do something (exercise, movement) have better long-term outcomes than treatments done to you (manipulation, massage)
3. Set clear goals and timelines — With any provider, establish what improvement looks like and when to reassess
4. Communicate across your team — Make sure your providers know about each other