Alberta Chiropractic SelfBack Study

Recurrent and persistent low back pain (LBP) is a massive problem in Canada that causes a substantial pain, disability, cost, and even premature death. The good news is that treatments for recurrent and persistent LBP are available. Many guidelines now recommend education and exercise as the best intervention for chronic LBP. Unfortunately, education and exercise programs are not publicly funded in Canada-only Canadians with extended health benefits can access these programs. As a result, the 50% of Canadians who do not have extended health benefits often seek care for LBP from their publicly funded physicians. Physicians, in turn, have little choice but to reach for what they have available, including opioids, x-rays and referrals to specialists. Not only are these interventions unhelpful for chronic LBP, they are often harmful, sometimes deadly, and disproportionately affect lower socio-economic status households. A possible solution to this problem exists in a validated app (SelfBack) that provides tailored self-management plans consisting of advice on physical activity, physical exercises, and educational content. Tailoring of treatment plans to individuals is achieved by using case-based reasoning (CBR) methodology which is a branch of artificial intelligence. This study will evaluate the feasibility of distributing the SelfBack app to persons experiencing LBP through their chiropractors. The results of this study will help us understand the barriers and facilitators of distributing and using the app through Alberta Chiropractors. This information will be used to apply for funding for a larger study to understand the effectiveness of the app as an intervention for persistent and recurrent LBP.