OBJECTIVES: To describe the disease management and the cost of patients presenting a diagnosis of low back pain in the hospital perspective. METHODS: We performed a local data base request from the medical information system (PMSI) of the university hospital of Montpellier. We considered 3 consecutive years (2006,2007,2008) which allow us to get a follow-up and a traceability of patients over this period. We analyzed a group of 18-50 years old patients admitted across acute care, day care or mid-term care sectors with the following diagnosis codes M 545, M 512 of the ICD-10. RESULTS: A total of 583 patients were selected over the period representing a total of 1674 admissions (i.e.: 2.8 admissions per patient). The mean ± SD age was 39 ± 8 years and female represent 56% of the patients. We observed 195 admissions in acute care ("less than 24 h" admissions excluded) with a mean length of stay of 5 ± 4.5 days. Day-care represents 47% of the admission in acute care sector. We observed 271 admissions in mid-term care with a mean length of stay of 8 ± 5.8 days. Few patients (6.8 %) were admitted consecutively in acute care and in mid term care thereafter. Surgery was the reason of first admission for 13 patients. The cost is estimated at 1,391 euros per patient admitted in acute care sector. CONCLUSIONS: In our sample, we noted a high rate of admission per patient for diagnosis or physical therapy reasons as the main pattern of low back pain management in-hospital. Admissions for surgery were marginal. Overview of real practices in-hospital sector is key information to determine the medical need in this active patient population. Innovative medical device would minimize the burden of disease by reducing the number of day lost in-hospital and the time to return to work.