OBJECTIVE.: To determine the effectiveness of self-management for non-specific low back pain (LBP). METHODS.: We performed a systematic review searching MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, LILACS, PEDro, AMED, SportDiscus and Cochrane databases from earliest record to April 2011. Randomised controlled trials evaluating self-management for non-specific LBP and assessing pain and disability were included. The PEDro scale was used to assess methodological quality of included trials. Data were pooled where studies were sufficiently homogenous. Analyses were conducted separately for short (less than 6 months after randomization) and long (at least 12 months after randomization) term follow-ups. Six criteria for self-management were used to assess content of the intervention. RESULTS.: The search identified 2325 titles, of which 13 original trials were included. Moderate quality evidence showed that self-management is effective for improving pain and disability for people with LBP. The weighted mean difference for pain was -3.2 points on a 0-100 scale (95% confidence interval: -5.1 to -1.3) and for disability -2.3 points (-3.7 to -1.0) at short-term follow-up. The long-term effects were -4.8 (-7.1 to -2.5) for pain and -2.1 (-3.6 to -0.6) for disability. CONCLUSION.: There is moderate quality evidence that self-management has small effects on pain and disability in people with LBP. These results challenge the endorsement of self-management in treatment guidelines. © 2012 by the American College of Rheumatology.