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Among all other conditions, back pain is probably one of the most unnecessarily and excessively medicalized. Typically someone who exhibits symptoms of back pain would seek the help of primary healthcare providers first. This would kickstart a vicious cycle of imaging, surgery, injections, and opioid medications, most of which is likely superfluous. As a result, these patients often achieve low-quality outcomes from their care, and many even develop opioid dependence. But what if there was another way to deal with most types of back pain we are experiencing? In this episode. Dr. Joe Tatta speaks with Julie Fritz, PT, PhD, a University of Utah professor and researcher focused on examining non-pharmacologic treatments for persons with spinal pain. They discuss why we should be concerned about how we approach low back pain in our medical system, what a typical care pathway looks like for most people seeking lower back care, the impact or use of imaging studies for treating and evaluating lower back pain, the impact of cost on healthcare utilization, the role of physical therapists as primary care providers for the treatment of back pain, and how early physical therapy is associated with decreased opioid use. Tune in of all of these and more!