Current research clearly indicates the importance of exercise and mobility in the treatment of low back pain and also that bed rest and inactivity should play a relatively small part in treatment. The use of intensive, physical exercise and "work hardening" routines have been shown to be necessary for treating chronic low back pain and returning individuals to work. Evidence derived from valid clinical studies of the use of manipulation in the treatment of low back pain shows a role for it in the acute treatment of "mechanical" low back disorders. These studies have demonstrated that manipulative procedures result in more rapid pain and functional relief compared with other conservative therapies. Over a longer time frame, this advantage disappears.