GLA:D Back Pain Webinars
Dr. Jan Hartvigsen, Dr. Alice Kongsted
October 5, 2024
Primary Care / Family Medicine
Lower back pain is one of the most common reasons people visit their doctor - and it can seriously affect daily life, work, and mental health. Despite how common it is, treating chronic or recurring lower back pain is challenging. Many people end up relying on opioids, which carry the risk of addiction. At the same time, access to physiotherapy is often limited, and family doctors may not have the time or training to offer effective, non-drug options. To help address these gaps, the PLP and the Office of Lifelong Learning (L3) partnered with the Alberta Back Care pathway (ABCp), led by the late Dr. Greg Kawchuk, to support the rollout of the GLA:D - Back program in Alberta. Originally developed in Denmark, GLA:D - Back is a proven education and exercise program designed to help people with chronic or recurring lower back pain manage their condition more effectively - without medication. To support this effort, PLP and L3 co-hosted two webinars for PCNs during the GLA:D - Back Training Weekends on October 5, 2024, and March 1, 2025. These sessions helped introduce the program, share best practices, and prepare teams to implement this innovative approach to back pain care.