Surgeons are less likely than family physicians to view surgery as the preferred treatment for low back pain. According to a study in a recent issue of Spine, researchers presented hypothetical back pain situations to surgeons (orthopaedic surgeons and neurosurgeons), family physicians, and patients with back or leg pain. The scenarios reflected key factors related to back pain: walking ability, pain duration, pain severity, neurological symptoms, and pain location. Each group rated their preference for surgery in each situation. Unexpectedly, surgeons had the lowest preferences for surgery, while family physicians and patients had the highest preferences for surgery.
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