Table 1. Baseline patient characteristics. Overall and by profession.

Total Chiropractors Physioterapists General practitioners p Value^a
Patient numbers, overall and across professions N = 1140 N = 683 N = 308 N = 149

Gender, female 600 (52.6%) 336 (49.2%) 180 (58.4%) 84 (56.4%) 0.016

Age (years) 52 (40–64) 49 (38–61) 56 (45–70) 52 (41–63) <0.001
No. of weeks with symptoms in current course 2 (0–8) 1 (0–3) 5 (2–46) 2 (0–8) <0.001
Previous back pain episodes, several disabling episodes 700 (62.2%) 451 (66.5%) 181 (59.5%) 68 (47.2%) <0.001
Previous treatment in the current episode
Chiropractor 59 (13.5%) 0 (0.0%) 40 (13.1%) 19 (14.6%) 0.67
GP 394 (40.5%) 163 (24.4%) 231 (75.5%) 0 (0.0%) <0.001
Secondary care Spine centre/Hospital/operation 96 (8.7%) 42 (6.3%) 45 (14.7%) 9 (6.9%) <0.001
MRI 85 (7.7%) 33 (4.9%) 43 (14.1%) 9 (6.9%) <0.001
Physiotherapist 135 (16.9%) 96 (14.4%) 0 (0.0%) 39 (30.0%) <0.001
Other 598 (54.2%) 457 (68.4%) 64 (20.9%) 77 (59.2%) <0.001

Findings
Radiating pain below knee 174 (15.7%) 82 (12.3%) 64 (21.1%) 28 (20.0%) <0.001
Widespread pain (2 or more pain sites beside LBP) 260 (23.0%) 128 (18.9%) 99 (32.1%) 33 (22.3%) <0.001
Poor sleep 473 (41.8%) 281 (41.6%) 139 (45.1%) 53 (35.8%) 0.17
Physical disabled 928 (82.0%) 578 (85.5%) 248 (80.5%) 102 (68.9%) <0.001
Emotional disabled 256 (22.6%) 147 (21.7%) 90 (29.2%) 19 (12.8%) <0.001
Sick leave 148 (13.1%) 93 (13.8%) 42 (13.6%) 13 (8.8%) 0.25
Abnorm neurology 99 (8.7%) 50 (7.4%) 28 (9.1%) 21 (14.2%) 0.028
Neurological examination conducted 284 (25.1%) 147 (21.7%) 119 (38.8%) 18 (12.2%) <0.001
Clinical nerve root pressure 88 (7.8%) 47 (6.9%) 26 (8.5%) 15 (10.1%) 0.36
Suspected serious pathology 10 (0.9%) 3 (0.4%) 5 (1.6%) 2 (1.4%) 0.15

Initiated treatment
Counselling and advice in self-management 888 (78.2%) 538 (79.1%) 259 (84.1%) 91 (61.9%) <0.001
Acupuncture/ Dry needling (including blockade for GPs) 64 (5.6%) 53 (7.8%) 8 (2.6%) 3(2.0%) 0.002
Instruction in direction-specific exercises 121 (39.3%) N/A 121 (39.3%) N/A
Instruction in exercises/active exercises 524 (46.0%) 298 (43.6%) 199 (64.6%) 27 (18.4%) <0.001
Information; symptoms and prognosis 811 (71.5%) 519 (76.3%) 227 (73.7%) 65 (44.2%) <0.001
Dialog; lifestyle factors 78 (25.3%) N/A 78 (25.3%) N/A
Manuel Therapy 823 (72.5%) 651 (95.7%) 166 (53.9%) 6 (4.1%) <0.001
NSAID 35 (23.8%) N/A N/A 35 (23.8%)
Opioids 13 (8.8%) N/A N/A 13 (8.8%)
Gabapentin/Lyrica/Tricyclic Antidepressives (TCA) 9 (6.1%) N/A N/A 9 (6.1%)
ULRUS (Extended Back examination) 18 (1.8%) 2 (0.3%) 16 (5.2%) N/A
Other 17 (1.5%) 1 (0.1%) 1 (0.3%) 15 (10.2%) <0.001

Purpose of the consultation
The cause to LBP 835 (73.7%) 545 (80.1%) 226 (73.9%) 64 (43.5%) <0.001
Reassurance 578 (51.0%) 344 (50.6%) 167 (54.6%) 67 (45.6%) 0.19
Fulfil patient demands 454 (40.1%) 346 (50.9%) 85 (27.8%) 23 (15.6%) <0.001
Ease pain 930 (82.1%) 654 (96.2%) 210 (68.6%) 66 (44.9%) <0.001
Improve self-management 773 (68.2%) 456 (67.1%) 259 (84.6%) 58 (39.5%) <0.001
Other 10 (0.9%) 4 (0.6%) 0 (0.0%) 6 (4.1%) <0.001

Data are presented as median (IQR) for continuous measures, and n (%) for categorical measures.
^aBetween group differences tested using Kruskal–Wallis for non-parametric testing.

	Total	Chiropractors	Physioterapists	General practitioners	p Value^a
Patient numbers, overall and across professions	N = 1140	N = 683	N = 308	N = 149	p Value^a

Gender, female	600 (52.6%)	336 (49.2%)	180 (58.4%)	84 (56.4%)	0.016

Age (years)	52 (40–64)	49 (38–61)	56 (45–70)	52 (41–63)	<0.001
No. of weeks with symptoms in current course	2 (0–8)	1 (0–3)	5 (2–46)	2 (0–8)	<0.001
Previous back pain episodes, several disabling episodes	700 (62.2%)	451 (66.5%)	181 (59.5%)	68 (47.2%)	<0.001
Previous treatment in the current episode
Chiropractor	59 (13.5%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (13.1%)	19 (14.6%)	0.67
GP	394 (40.5%)	163 (24.4%)	231 (75.5%)	0 (0.0%)	<0.001
Secondary care Spine centre/Hospital/operation	96 (8.7%)	42 (6.3%)	45 (14.7%)	9 (6.9%)	<0.001
MRI	85 (7.7%)	33 (4.9%)	43 (14.1%)	9 (6.9%)	<0.001
Physiotherapist	135 (16.9%)	96 (14.4%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (30.0%)	<0.001
Other	598 (54.2%)	457 (68.4%)	64 (20.9%)	77 (59.2%)	<0.001

Findings
Radiating pain below knee	174 (15.7%)	82 (12.3%)	64 (21.1%)	28 (20.0%)	<0.001
Widespread pain (2 or more pain sites beside LBP)	260 (23.0%)	128 (18.9%)	99 (32.1%)	33 (22.3%)	<0.001
Poor sleep	473 (41.8%)	281 (41.6%)	139 (45.1%)	53 (35.8%)	0.17
Physical disabled	928 (82.0%)	578 (85.5%)	248 (80.5%)	102 (68.9%)	<0.001
Emotional disabled	256 (22.6%)	147 (21.7%)	90 (29.2%)	19 (12.8%)	<0.001
Sick leave	148 (13.1%)	93 (13.8%)	42 (13.6%)	13 (8.8%)	0.25
Abnorm neurology	99 (8.7%)	50 (7.4%)	28 (9.1%)	21 (14.2%)	0.028
Neurological examination conducted	284 (25.1%)	147 (21.7%)	119 (38.8%)	18 (12.2%)	<0.001
Clinical nerve root pressure	88 (7.8%)	47 (6.9%)	26 (8.5%)	15 (10.1%)	0.36
Suspected serious pathology	10 (0.9%)	3 (0.4%)	5 (1.6%)	2 (1.4%)	0.15

Initiated treatment
Counselling and advice in self-management	888 (78.2%)	538 (79.1%)	259 (84.1%)	91 (61.9%)	<0.001
Acupuncture/ Dry needling (including blockade for GPs)	64 (5.6%)	53 (7.8%)	8 (2.6%)	3(2.0%)	0.002
Instruction in direction-specific exercises	121 (39.3%)	N/A	121 (39.3%)	N/A
Instruction in exercises/active exercises	524 (46.0%)	298 (43.6%)	199 (64.6%)	27 (18.4%)	<0.001
Information; symptoms and prognosis	811 (71.5%)	519 (76.3%)	227 (73.7%)	65 (44.2%)	<0.001
Dialog; lifestyle factors	78 (25.3%)	N/A	78 (25.3%)	N/A
Manuel Therapy	823 (72.5%)	651 (95.7%)	166 (53.9%)	6 (4.1%)	<0.001
NSAID	35 (23.8%)	N/A	N/A	35 (23.8%)
Opioids	13 (8.8%)	N/A	N/A	13 (8.8%)
Gabapentin/Lyrica/Tricyclic Antidepressives (TCA)	9 (6.1%)	N/A	N/A	9 (6.1%)
ULRUS (Extended Back examination)	18 (1.8%)	2 (0.3%)	16 (5.2%)	N/A
Other	17 (1.5%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.3%)	15 (10.2%)	<0.001

Purpose of the consultation
The cause to LBP	835 (73.7%)	545 (80.1%)	226 (73.9%)	64 (43.5%)	<0.001
Reassurance	578 (51.0%)	344 (50.6%)	167 (54.6%)	67 (45.6%)	0.19
Fulfil patient demands	454 (40.1%)	346 (50.9%)	85 (27.8%)	23 (15.6%)	<0.001
Ease pain	930 (82.1%)	654 (96.2%)	210 (68.6%)	66 (44.9%)	<0.001
Improve self-management	773 (68.2%)	456 (67.1%)	259 (84.6%)	58 (39.5%)	<0.001
Other	10 (0.9%)	4 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (4.1%)	<0.001