Accessible to all health care professionals, this text provides a guide to understanding and managing back pain and is one of the premier examples of a biopsychosocial approach to medicine. The content challenges unsubstantiated beliefs regarding the best way to treat and manage back pain and presents an interdisciplinary debate on the subject. In a society where patients are demanding more effective approaches to their problems, this resource offers a radical rethink, a necessary step to achieving a more effective method of treatment. The unorthodox spirit of this material places this book at the center of the revolution taking place in the back pain area. Gordon Waddell is the world authority on the topic of the back pain revolution. The content addresses huge problems of concern to many disciplines and governments. The unbiased, open-minded view looks at the issues and the evidence and invites the readers to consider, debate, and agree on the best course of action. Comprehensive coverage of all aspects of the problem offers both interventionist and conservative approaches to treatment, psychosocial issues, economic factors, patient education, and prevention. A new chapter on Occupational Health Guidelines keeps the reader up-to-date. New information allows the book to expand on the insights of the previous edition, which was considered a classic text. More social and work-related research and material provides information on these important issues. Updated guidelines and references make this resource one of the best for current practice. The new illustrations, graphs, tables, and education handouts present Waddell's theory in a fresh, new way that aids in the reader's understanding.