Potential risk factors for back pain in children.

Objectives: Back pain often develops in early childhood and becomes more frequent during adolescence. The aim of this study was to determine potential risk factors and the therapy effects on back pain in children.

Methods: This retrospective study included 96 boys and girls treated for back pain in outpatient and hospital setting in the 1.1.2016-31.12.2016 period at the Institute of Child and Youth Health Care of Vojvodina, Serbia. The influence of sex, age, physical activity and presence of concomitant locomotor system deformities, as well as applied therapies, on the back pain in children was analyzed using SPSS ver. 21.

Results: The studied sample comprised of 56.3% girls. The average age of the subjects was 14.64 years, 43 (44.8%) of the children were physically active. In children suffering from back pain, spinal column deformities were also noted, mostly scoliosis (27.1%) and kyphosis (20.8%). Chronic pain was diagnosed in 54 children (56.3%). The average pain intensity, as measured on the VAS, was 5.72 and 0.92 before and after therapy, respectively (p< 0.05).

Conclusion: Among the analyzed parameters, only lumboishialgia was a significant factor in the onset of back pain, which declined following ergonomic education and physical therapy.