Back pain in children and teens

Back pain in children is becoming increasingly common. In most cases, it’s caused by muscular strain and will improve on its own. However, in some cases back pain in children can be a sign of a more serious underlying disorder.

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What should I do if my child is experiencing back pain?

Early identification and treatment is essential: so how do you identify whether your child’s back pain is something that you need to get checked out? If your child is experiencing back pain and their symptoms don’t seem to be improving, you can book them in to see our consultant-led team that specialises in paediatric care. They see children and adolescents daily with different back conditions and complaints.

At The Portland Hospital, our orthopaedic, neurological and paediatric specialists will work to understand the problems that your child is experiencing. They can help you and your child get to the root of the problem, whether it’s a common muscular strain or a spinal condition, infection or tumour.

Signs and symptoms of back conditions

While most back pain is muscular and likely to get better with some light exercises, stretching and rest, if your child is also suffering from the following symptoms, this could indicate that they have a more serious condition:

Fever
Weight loss
Weakness or numbness
Trouble walking
Bowel or bladder problems
Pain that disturbs sleep

If your child has any of these accompanying symptoms, it’s a good idea to book them in to see one of our team of specialists.

Types of back pain in children and teens

Acute back pain

Acute back pain is back pain that typically lasts between three to six months. This is usually the result of damaged tissue.

Chronic back pain

If your child’s back pain lasts longer than six months, they may have chronic back pain. This can be caused by poor posture, weak core muscles or strain from being overweight. It can also be the result of conditions like scoliosis, which is a curvature of the spine that can either develop when your child is young or first become apparent during adolescence.

Neuropathic back pain

Neuropathic back pain happens when your child’s body continues to feel pain even though there is no tissue damage. This happens when a nerve in your child’s spine has become compressed, possibly by a herniated disc or an injury.

What causes back pain in children and teens?

Back pain in children can be developmental or acquired. Your child could have been born with a condition that led to the pain (developmental), or they could have received an injury or suffered an illness since (acquired).

We treat the whole range of back conditions in children, from common to complex. These include:

Muscular strain: Usually due to children carrying very heavy school bags or twisting and straining their back whilst playing sport. Muscular pain could also be an indicator of tight hamstring muscles, weak abdominal muscles, bad posture and poor conditioning of the muscles in the back. Common signs that your child is suffering from muscular strain is pain and stiffness particularly in the lower back which gets worse when they bend, stretch, cough or sneeze. Sometimes this pain can spread down into the buttocks and the back of the thigh. It will get better with regular light exercises and stretches to aid flexibility.
Spinal conditions: Usually caused by an injury, for example if the spine has been fractured, or from a malformation of the spine. The conditions we treat include scoliosis, kyphosis, spinal arthritis, spondylolysis, spondylolisthesis, herniated disc, stress fracture, spinal stenosis and osteoporosis.
Infection: In rare circumstances, back pain in children can be a sign of an infection of the bone or disc in the spine. Symptoms include generalised back pain, fever and feeling unwell. In most cases, the infection can be treated with antibiotics but occasionally surgery is required if damage to the spinal structure is likely. If your child is suffering from back pain alongside a fever, seek medical attention to get a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.
Tumour: Also very rare but can cause back pain. These often develop in the middle or lower back and pain is constant and gets worse and worse over time. Night time pain may disturb sleep.

When should my child see a doctor?

Muscular back pain should get better over time with light exercise. But if your child’s back pain doesn’t improve, it could indicate that they have a spinal condition which may have been caused by an injury, particularly if the spine has been fractured. It may also be an early warning sign that they have a malformation of their spine.

It’s a good idea to book in with a specialist if:

You notice your child has an unusually shaped back
Their spine has been fractured
They experience numbness and tingling in the legs
They have trouble walking and experience bowel and bladder problems
They experience a great deal of pain, aggravated by standing, sitting, twisting and bending which is only eased when rested.

How is back pain in children diagnosed?

If your child is experiencing back pain, we can help to identify the cause and deliver any specialist treatment that is needed, including surgery. Our specialist paediatricians will carry out a full examination which involves asking questions about your child’s back pain, general health and lifestyle including any sports activities they enjoy. The consultant will also physically examine your child to check:

Their posture, identifying any signs of spine curvature
How they walk
How much they can bend their back
The site of pain, stiffness, weakness or numbness

They may then decide to carry out a number of tests, such as an X-ray or MRI scan, in order to make a detailed diagnosis.

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What are the treatment options for back pain in children?

The treatment options available to your child will depend on the nature and extent of their symptoms. Muscular back pain will get better with regular light exercises and stretches to aid flexibility. In most cases, any infection can be treated with antibiotics. But occasionally surgery is required if damage to the spinal structure is likely. Your child’s consultant will discuss their recommendations once they’ve made a diagnosis. They will also be on hand to answer any questions that you, or your child, might have about treatment and recovery.

Our paediatric orthopaedic locations

Our specialist paediatric orthopaedic consultants are located at The Portland Hospital, the UK’s only private hospital dedicated to the treatment of women and children. Some of our consultants and paediatricians can also be seen at our clinics in Chiswick, Golders Green, Elstree or at The Shard.