Low back pain is a common ailment in the population at large, but among athletes it reaches epidemic proportions: Up to 90 percent of athletes suffer low back injuries at some point. Athletic trainers and physical therapists play a critical role in guiding the athletes’ recovery from lumbar spine injuries and in ensuring that the athletes have sufficient strength and control to resume training and competition.

Managing Low Back Problems 2.0 helps athletic trainers and physical therapists identify and treat lumbar spine injuries common to athletes. It provides a comprehensive review of spine anatomy and structural functions, and it explains assessment techniques and treatment methods that are easy to follow and apply in clinical practice. The course features video demonstrations of evaluation methods and rehabilitation exercises. It also incorporates a case-study approach that enables athletic trainers and physical therapists to hone their skills for selecting appropriate treatments and exercises for each phase in the rehabilitation of lumbar spine injuries.

The complexity of the spine makes assessing and treating lumbar spine injuries especially challenging. Treating these injuries requires a thorough understanding of the anatomy and biomechanics of the lumbar spine. This understanding provides the foundation for accurately assessing the structures involved in an injury and selecting treatments that have the appropriate physiological effects. Managing Low Back Problems 2.0 helps provide this understanding.

The course also discusses range of motion, flexibility, strengthening, and stability exercises appropriate for each phase of rehabilitation. It explains how to teach athletes to maintain proper spinal alignment and to use related techniques in daily activities and in sport and exercise. It includes guidelines for returning athletes to the dynamic activities of their sport and strategies for minimizing the risk of reinjury. In so doing, Managing Low Back Problems 2.0 enables athletic trainers and physical therapists to determine the rehabilitative treatments required to return athletes to sport and prevent recurrence of injury.