What Is Back Pain?
Anything that puts stress on the bones, tissues or nerves of the spine can make your child’s back hurt.
MRI of discitis. The typical intense inflammatory reaction seen on MRI may lead to over-treatment.
Children and teenagers may feel pain in their backs if they have been carrying something heavy, such as a backpack or a laundry basket. They may hurt their backs if they fall while running or playing or if they are injured during sports.
Usually, back pain in children is not caused by a serious condition. For most, the pain goes away after a few days of rest.
Back Pain in Children
All children can have back pain, but it is a less common problem in children who are younger than age 10. In young children, it is unusual for back pain to limit activity for more than a day or two.
An increasing number of teenagers complain of ongoing (chronic) back pain. Up to 30% of teens and 80% of adults will have periods when back pain is bad enough to limit their activities for anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.
Research studies do not clearly tell us if carrying backpacks hurts children’s backs. We do know that both children and adults are less likely to have back pain if they do regular aerobic activity, such as running or playing hard enough to get out of breath, for a half-hour or so three or four times a week.