INTRODUCTION
1.1 Burden-global
Low back pain is a major clinical and public health problem. Low back pain is a leading
cause of disability. It occurs in similar proportions in all cultures, interferes with quality
of life and work performance, and is one of the most common reasons for medical
consultations (Ehrlich et al, 2003). It carries a set of challenges involving sensory and
distressful aspects i.e. pain and disability. Chronic Low Back Pain (CLBP) is the most
frequent cause of activity limitation in people below the age of 45 years and the second
most frequent reason for visits to primary care physicians in the United States. About 1%
of the US population is chronically disabled due to low back pain (Andersson, 1997). It is
a very costly condition as it accounts for many lost work days and disability claims
(Franks et al 1996, Carey et al 2000). Low back pain was identified by the Pan American
Health Organization is one of the top three occupational health problems to be targeted by
surveillance within the WHO Region of the Americas.Worldwide 37%, and in South East
In Asia including India and China 39%, of CLBP, is attributable to occupational ergonomic
stressors, both physical and psychosocial (Punnett et al 2005). Campbell et al (2004)
report that in the United States the estimated annual cost to society of back pain is
between £13 billion ($20 billion) and £33 billion ($50 billion
