Medical expert of the article
New publications
Back pain in children
Last reviewed: 20.11.2021
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Back pain in children often centers in the lower back. Such a pain syndrome often happens in young children, but more widespread among adolescents, especially among those who are actively involved in sports. Back pain in children can occur immediately after a significant load, and after a few hours after it. It can be periodic or permanent. Regarding the degree of intensity, the pain can be quite weak, and so strong that the child is unable to move independently.
[Diseases in which there is pain in the back in children
The most common causes of pain in the lower back in children are the overstrain of the back muscles, which is the result of intense physical activity; stretching of the back muscles caused by sudden rotational movements, especially during sports and muscle spasms, which could cause injuries during prolonged stay in an uncomfortable position (watching TV shows, computer games), as well as injuries sustained in car accidents.
Among the reasons for not very strong back pain, children are also called very soft mattresses and poor posture. Overstrain of back muscles and back pain often affects children who have to lift heavy objects, or overweight children who are forced to carry much more weight of their own body than their peers. Acute pain syndrome and increased sensitivity of the muscles in the neck and shoulders can also be caused by stress.
Lower back pain in children can cause bladder or kidney inflammation, as well as kidney stones, although they are not often seen in children. The pain in the lower back is sometimes complained of by children who are ill with the flu. Adolescent girls may feel pain in their backs during menstruation or before their onset. But all these states do not have any serious character.
Most of the other causes of back pain in children are associated with a variety of musculature or skeletal disorders. In adolescents who engage in sports, a fairly common phenomenon is bone fractures, which are associated with excessive overstrain. There are also dislocations, which are the result of sports or other kinds of injuries (for example, due to accidents). In the last two cases, the victim should immediately be shown to the doctor.
Pretty painful injuries can also result from the fact that the child fell on the coccyx, although such traumas are infrequently too serious.
Among the most rare causes of back pain, children are referred to as the spine cyst, arthritis, spinal fracture or disc displacement, nerve disorders, abnormalities in the hip joints or spine that are associated with child development, leg length differences, spine diseases and leukemia. Tumors in the spine are extremely rare, but they are often identified as a scoliosis with pain syndrome, which is often accompanied by a low muscle tone.
Also, the rare causes of back pain in children are adolescent spondylitis and osteochondropathy of the spine (Sheyermann-Mau disease). This pathology is mainly predisposed by boys.
Other causes of back pain in children:
- psychogenic character;
- intervertebral hernia and osteochondropathy;
- dysplastic spondylopathy, spondylolysis or spondylolisthesis;
- juvenile spondylitis;
- infectious diseases of intervertebral discs, vertebrae (tuberculosis, osteomyelitis);
- osteoporosis: (iatrogenic, with endocrinopathy, idiopathic);
- diseases of tumor nature (metastatic, bone-cartilage structures and ligaments, spinal cord);
- hematological diseases (hereditary spherocytic anemia, sickle cell anemia);
- diseases of internal organs: projection pain in diseases, congenital malformations and tumors of the organs of the gastrointestinal tract and urogenital sphere.
If there is pain in the back in children, then, as a rule, there are other health problems. Identifying these problems is much easier if there are other symptoms besides back pain. If the child has frequent urination and experiences pain, if there is blood in the urine or if the urine is colorless, while the child has a high fever, then probably the cause of this condition is urinary tract infection. The child should be shown to the doctor. Signals that indicate that serious problems have arisen include lowered leg tone, back pain radiating to one or both legs, lameness. In these cases, the child should be immediately shown to the doctor. You can refer to orthopedic traumatologist, pediatrician, oncologist, urologist, gynecologist (for girls) and hematologist.