Introduction

Globally, low back pain is the leading cause of disability¹. Chronic low back pain (CLBP)—the second leading cause of lost work time—is common, costly, disabling, and often refractory to existing treatments.^2-5  Worldwide, prevalence rates have neared 20% in those age 20 to 59.⁶  Approximately 80% of U.S. adults experience low back pain during their lifetime, with 2%-8% developing chronic back pain.⁴  Americans spend at least $50 billion per year on low back pain, with chronic back pain making up at least 90% of the costs.⁴

Individuals with CLBP often need to resort to opioid pain medications to reduce pain and improve function, and CLBP has been the leading noncancer chronic pain condition for which long-term opioids have been prescribed.⁷  Despite using potent opioid analgesics, many patients continue to suffer from CLBP, co-occurring mental health problems, and adverse effects of opioids, including overdose and death.^7-12  There is a critical need for safe and effective treatments for CLBP.^7,9,10,13,14

Mindfulness Meditation for Low Back Pain: Research

Patients with CLBP frequently turn to complementary and integrative health (CIH) approaches.  Mindfulness-based interventions, which are both popular and safe, are important examples of popular CIH approaches.⁵

Mindfulness-based interventions, including mindfulness meditation (referred to just as “meditation”), help train the mind in nonjudgmental attention to the present moment experiences.¹⁵  They have great potential as therapies for CLBP.^16-20  These approaches are already widely used to improve health^21-23, well-being, and pain^24,25, and they show sustained effects over time.^18,26 Mindfulness-based interventions can positively impact many chronic health problems, including depression and anxiety²⁷, which are common in patients with CLBP.^{3,9,10,16,18,28}