The single most important element in all of spine care is prevention of disease and incapacitation.  The most effective means of initiating prevention is education (as is true for everything else).  The window of opportunity to such education starts at the elementary school level.  There is, at this time, no evidence of such activity anywhere in the world.  Without this early programming there can be only little understanding and comprehension of important factors relating to the spine present for utilization later in life.

Even though the surface of spine education has only been scratched at this time the Burton^® Report wishes to acknowledge the efforts of a small group of North American pioneers who have initiated the effort.  These individuals have endeavored to establish the "Back School" concept in medicine as well as the community.  The present poor visibility of Back School and Spine Education relates to its low M₂H  factor and the fact that third party payors have consistently refused to pay for "education" as a medically prescribed part of spine health care.  In time the groundwork initiated by the following honored individuals will, in time, prevail:

Betty Kirkaldy-Willis, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Nancy Selby, Dallas, Texas, U.S.A.

Lynn White, San Francisco, California, U.S.A.