Rise in Children, Adolescents Seeking Help for Back Pain

After completing a new literature review, researchers from the Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children have found an increase in children and adolescents seeking treatment for back pain. The work, published in the January issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, was led by Suken A. Shah, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon and division chief at Nemours Spine and Scoliosis Center at DuPont.

“If your history, physical exam or simple tests reveal a diagnosis or problem, this can be treated early and you will probably be able to return to your activities or sport, ” said Dr. Shah in the January 4, 2016 news release. For nearly two-thirds of adolescent patients, clinical physical examination and imaging may not produce clear cause for their back pain. “It could be from a muscle strain, poor posture, too much training in a single sport or multiple sports in the same season, or the opposite—too little activity and not enough exercise.”

According to the news release, “The most common ‘diagnosable’ causes of back pain for children and adolescents are: stress fracture(s) in the low back (spondylolysis); instability or a forward shift of the lower spine above the tailbone (spondylolisthesis); poor posture like slouching forward or a rigid hump in the back from a spinal bone problem (kyphosis); overuse injuries from poor conditioning or overtraining; disk herniation; and, infection.”

“To help prevent or minimize back pain, Dr. Shah encourages patients to maintain proper posture; maintain good core muscle strength, flexibility and aerobic conditioning; exercise regularly to avoid a sedentary lifestyle; and, avoid frequent use of heavy backpacks, and always wear both backpack straps to better distribute the weight of the load evenly.”