Alberta Ambassador Guideline

Adaptation Program
Guideline for the Evidence-Informed Primary Care Management of
Low Back Pain, 3 rd edition, 2015

The guideline, companion documents, and links to other resources for clinicians and
patients are available on the TOP website
(http://www.topalbertadoctors.org/cpgs/885801) and on the Ambassador Program
website, hosted by the IHE (http://www.ihe.ca/research-programs/hta/aagap/lbp).

For Clinicians
1. Guideline. Available at: http://www.topalbertadoctors.org/cpgs/885801
a. Guideline for the evidence-informed primary care management of low
back pain, 3rd edition
b. A summary of the guideline for the evidence-informed primary care
management of low back pain, 3rd edition
2. Yellow flags (source: Kendall et al. Guide to assessing psycho-social yellow flags
in acute low back pain. Wellington, New Zealand: ACC & NZGG; 2004).
Available at: http://www.topalbertadoctors.org/cpgs/885801
a. Clinical assessment of psychosocial yellow flags
b. Management of psychosocial yellow flags
3. 2017 Canadian guideline for opioids for chronic non-cancer pain. Hamilton (ON):
Michael G. DeGroote National Pain Centre at McMaster University; 2017.
Available at: http://nationalpaincentre.mcmaster.ca/guidelines.html
4. Instructional video: The 3-minute primary care low back examination. Script
editors: Bombardier C, Carette S. Division of Rheumatology, University of
Toronto and Institute for Work & Health; 2004. Description and links available at:
http://www.ihe.ca/research-programs/hta/aagap/lbp
5. Guideline supporting documents and process description: Guideline for the
evidence-informed primary care management of low back pain, 3rd edition:
background document; 2017. Available at: http://www.ihe.ca/research-
programs/hta/aagap/lbp
6. Guideline supporting documents and process description: Guideline for the
evidence-informed primary care management of low back pain, 2nd edition:
background document; 2012. Available at: http://www.ihe.ca/research-
programs/hta/aagap/lbp
7. Guideline supporting documents and process description: Guideline for the
evidence-informed primary care management of low back pain - background
document; 2009, revised 2010. Available at: http://www.ihe.ca/research-
programs/hta/aagap/lbp
 8. Companion document created by Ambassador Program subcommittee to help
clinicians provide more detailed explanations to those patients seeking
information on lumbar spine interventional radiology procedures: Radiological
diagnostic and therapeutic interventions directed to lumbar spine pathology;
2015. Available at: http://www.ihe.ca/research-programs/hta/aagap/lbp
9. Authorizing dried cannabis for chronic pain or anxiety: Preliminary guidance from
the College of Family Physicians of Canada. College of Family Physicians of
Canada; 2014. Available at:
http://www.cfpc.ca/uploadedFiles/Resources/_PDFs/Authorizing%20Dried%20Ca
nnabis%20for%20Chronic%20Pain%20or%20Anxiety.pdf

For Patients
1. Patient information sheets. Available at:
http://www.topalbertadoctors.org/cpgs/885801
a. What you should know about your acute low back pain
b. What you should know about your chronic low back pain
2. Patient information brochures (designed with permission from the Institute of
Work & Health, Toronto, and adapted for Alberta in 2015). Available at:
http://www.ihe.ca/research-programs/hta/aagap/lbp
a. Acute low back pain. So your back hurts…Learn what works and what
doesn’t and how to help yourself
b. Chronic low back pain. So your back hurts…Learn what works and what
doesn’t and how to help yourself
3. Instructional YouTube videos. Links available at: http://www.ihe.ca/research-
programs/hta/aagap/lbp
a. Acute low back pain: What to do with low back pain? Get back at it!
b. Chronic low back pain: Living well with chronic low back pain
c. Chronic pain: Self-management for chronic pain

Other Resources
• Summary of the 2nd edition of the guideline (2011), hosted by the National
Guideline Clearinghouse (summary of the 3rd edition coming soon). Available at:
http://www.guideline.gov/content.aspx?id=37954&search=low+back+pain
• Encouraging optimal use of DI for low back pain workshop (October 26 & 27,
2010) program, presentations, and summary report. Available at:
http://www.ihe.ca/download/diworkshopfinalreportforweb.pdf
• Publications of the Ambassador Program. Available at:
http://www.ihe.ca/research-programs/hta/aagap/ambassador-program-
publications