Low Back Pain in China: Disease Burden and Bibliometric Analysis

Overview

Journal World J Orthop

Publisher Baishideng Publishing Group

Specialty Orthopedics

Date 2025 Jan 2

PMID 39744725

Authors

Wei-Lin Yang

Wen-Cai Jiang

Yan-Hua Peng

Xian-Jie Zhang

Rui Zhou

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Low back pain has become a global problem. Since many traditional Chinese therapies are helpful for low back pain, the current status of low back pain in China may provide some insights to this issue.

Aim: To demonstrate the disease burden of low back pain in China and the response of Chinese scholars to this issue.

Methods: The burden of low back pain in China was estimated using the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 released by the American Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. The incidence, prevalence and disability-adjusted life years were analyzed. We also performed a bibliometric analysis to analyzed the publication trend, changes of cooperation models and research topics on low back pain.

Results: Prevalence of low back pain increased from 69.61 million in 1990 to 102.96 million in 2021. New cases increased by a stunning 44.50 million in 2021. Low back pain led to an increase of 4.16 per 1000000 population in terms of disability-adjusted life years from 1990 to 2021. But the increase in China was slower than that of world average. As a response, publications of low back pain published by Chinese scholars were stably raised. From 1990 to 2023, domestic cooperation significantly increased, while international cooperation and no cooperation decreased. However, domestic cooperation decreased between 2021 and 2023. The number of studies on prevention and treatment of low back pain reduced from 1990 to 2023, while the mechanism, etiology and other aspects of low back pain augmented.

Conclusion: The burden of low back pain in China is heavy. Together with the government, Chinese institutions of medical science should do more in declining the impacts of low back pain.

Citing Articles

Analysis and comparison of the trends in burden of low back pain in China and worldwide from 1990 to 2021.

Wei Y, Xie Y, Xuan A, Gu H, Lian Y, Wang Z J Health Popul Nutr. 2025; 44(1):39.

PMID: 39948668 PMC: 11827349. DOI: 10.1186/s41043-025-00768-8.

References

Jiang S, Liu Y, Zheng H, Zhang L, Zhao H, Sang X . Evolutionary patterns and research frontiers in neoadjuvant immunotherapy: a bibliometric analysis. Int J Surg. 2023; 109(9):2774-2783. PMC: 10498839. DOI: 10.1097/JS9.0000000000000492. View

Mahdavi S, Riahi R, Vahdatpour B, Kelishadi R . Association between sedentary behavior and low back pain; A systematic review and meta-analysis. Health Promot Perspect. 2022; 11(4):393-410. PMC: 8767074. DOI: 10.34172/hpp.2021.50. View

Funada S, Yoshioka T, Luo Y, Iwama T, Mori C, Yamada N . Global Trends in Highly Cited Studies in COVID-19 Research. JAMA Netw Open. 2023; 6(9):e2332802. PMC: 10492181. DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.32802. View

Xu Z, Li X, Zhang L . A bibliometric analysis of research trends and hotspots in alpine grassland degradation on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. PeerJ. 2023; 11:e16210. PMC: 10612491. DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16210. View

de Campos T, Maher C, Fuller J, Steffens D, Attwell S, Hancock M . Prevention strategies to reduce future impact of low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med. 2020; 55(9):468-476. DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2019-101436. View

Tu R, Li Y, Shen L, Yuan H, Mao Z, Liu X . The prevalence and influencing factors of physical activity and sedentary behaviour in the rural population in China: the Henan Rural Cohort Study. BMJ Open. 2019; 9(9):e029590. PMC: 6731809. DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-029590. View

Pan X, Wang L, Pan A . Epidemiology and determinants of obesity in China. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2021; 9(6):373-392. DOI: 10.1016/S2213-8587(21)00045-0. View

Mekhail N, Eldabe S, Templeton E, Costandi S, Rosenquist R . Pain Management Interventions for the Treatment of Chronic Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Clin J Pain. 2023; 39(7):349-364. DOI: 10.1097/AJP.0000000000001116. View

Parreira P, Maher C, Steffens D, Hancock M, Ferreira M . Risk factors for low back pain and sciatica: an umbrella review. Spine J. 2018; 18(9):1715-1721. DOI: 10.1016/j.spinee.2018.05.018. View

10.

Pu Y, Peng Y, Zhou R . Characteristics of the top 100 cited original studies on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: a bibliometric analysis. J Thorac Dis. 2024; 16(9):5507-5517. PMC: 11494577. DOI: 10.21037/jtd-24-597. View

11.

Tavares F, Rossiter J, Lima G, de Oliveira L, Cavalcante W, Avila M . Additional effect of pain neuroscience education to spinal manipulative therapy on pain and disability for patients with chronic low back pain: a randomized controlled trial. Braz J Phys Ther. 2023; 27(5):100555. PMC: 10598742. DOI: 10.1016/j.bjpt.2023.100555. View

12.

Steffens D, Maher C, Pereira L, Stevens M, Oliveira V, Chapple M . Prevention of Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Intern Med. 2016; 176(2):199-208. DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2015.7431. View

13.

Sit R, Wong W, Law S, Wu J . Integrative Western and Traditional Chinese Medicine service model for low back pain. Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2016; 54(7):539-43. DOI: 10.5414/CP202625. View

14.

Ma S, Xi B, Yang L, Sun J, Zhao M, Bovet P . Trends in the prevalence of overweight, obesity, and abdominal obesity among Chinese adults between 1993 and 2015. Int J Obes (Lond). 2020; 45(2):427-437. DOI: 10.1038/s41366-020-00698-x. View

15.

Knezevic N, Candido K, Vlaeyen J, Van Zundert J, Cohen S . Low back pain. Lancet. 2021; 398(10294):78-92. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(21)00733-9. View

16.

Shiri R, Falah-Hassani K, Heliovaara M, Solovieva S, Amiri S, Lallukka T . Risk Factors for Low Back Pain: A Population-Based Longitudinal Study. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2018; 71(2):290-299. DOI: 10.1002/acr.23710. View

17.

Zhou R, Jiang W, Miao Q, Li X, Xiong L . Current Status and Global Trend of Rebound Pain After Regional Anesthesia: A Bibliometric Analysis. Local Reg Anesth. 2024; 17:67-77. PMC: 11090126. DOI: 10.2147/LRA.S455347. View

18.

Clark S, Horton R . Low back pain: a major global challenge. Lancet. 2018; 391(10137):2302. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)30725-6. View

19.

Hoy D, Protani M, De R, Buchbinder R . The epidemiology of neck pain. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2011; 24(6):783-92. DOI: 10.1016/j.berh.2011.01.019. View

20.

Foster N, Anema J, Cherkin D, Chou R, Cohen S, Gross D . Prevention and treatment of low back pain: evidence, challenges, and promising directions. Lancet. 2018; 391(10137):2368-2383. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)30489-6. View