To obtain a pathological picture and derive the diagnosis of back sprain, a complete history of the patient, the manner of production of the trauma, and the clinical, laboratory, and radiographic findings must be secured in order to exclude cord and bone lesions, and backaches of remote and constitutional origin.
Having established the diagnosis of back sprain by excluding other possibilities, local physiotherapy should be instituted with only partial restriction of back motion. This will reduce the time of disability to a minimum and prevent the formation of chronic back sprains. If such have developed or have resulted from the necessary immobilization of spinal fractures and acute spinal arthritides, they should be submitted to a thorough treatment with physical modalities, instead of remaining mobilized for a longer period of time.