Studies tell us that over 85% of the general population will suffer with back pain in their lifetime. It affects over 1.7 billion people worldwide and is the leading cause of disability. The financial drain is also staggering. Duke University Medical Center researchers has found that patients suffering from back pain consume more than $90 billion annually in health-care expenses, with approximately $26 billion of that amount directly attributable to treating the back pain. Keep in mind that this study was done in 1998. It is estimated now that it is anywhere from $125-180 billion.
