Abstract
Puberty is a vulnerable period for musculoskeletal disorders due to the existence of a wide inter-individual variation in growth and development. The main objective of the present study was to describe the prevalence of back pain (BP) in the past year and month in school-aged children according to sex, age, maturity status, body mass index (BMI) and pain characteristics. This study involved 513 students aged between 9 and 16 years. Anthropometric measures were recorded to calculate the maturity stage of the students using a regression equation comprising measures for age, body mass, body height, sitting height and leg length. An ad hoc questionnaire composed of eight questions was used to describe BP prevalence in school-aged children. The results showed that the prevalence of BP in school-aged children was observed in 35.1% over the last year (45% boys and 55% girls), and 17.3% (40.4% boys and 59.6% girls, with an association found between female sex and BP) in the last month. The prevalence of back pain in the past year and month was higher the older the students were, or the more pubertal development they had experienced. The prevalence of BP in the last year was also higher in those with overweight or obesity. After adjustment for sex, there was an association between BP and older age and higher BMI in boys and an association between BP and higher pubertal development in girls. In summary, the present study showed that the prevalence of BP was related to the maturity stage and weight of the participants, with different prevalence patterns found according to sex.
Highlights
Nowadays, back pain (BP) in childhood and adolescence is no longer considered to be uncommon or rare [1,2]
Aartun et al [6] found that neck pain (NP), mid-back pain (MBP) and low back pain (LBP) were most prevalent at 11–13 years of age, and at follow-up, this prevalence had increased for each back region
The statistical power of the sample was calculated retrospectively for the variables for which significant differences were found between the classification groups using the input parameters sample size, alpha level p < 0.05, effect size (BP last year: minimum value Hedges’ g = −0.361; BP last month: minimum value Hedges’ g = −0.454) for a Mann–Whitney analysis test (G*Power version 3.1.9.7, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany)
Summary
Back pain (BP) in childhood and adolescence is no longer considered to be uncommon or rare [1,2]. Most studies focus on investigating the prevalence of low back pain (LBP), as it is most common in children and adolescents [3]. Pain in the neck and thoracic region (mid-back) should not be underestimated, as the prevalence increases during this growth phase [4,5]. Aartun et al [6] found that neck pain (NP), mid-back pain (MBP) and low back pain (LBP) were most prevalent at 11–13 years of age, and at follow-up (two years later), this prevalence had increased for each back region. In a Spanish sample, the prevalence of BP within the last week in school children (8–12 years) was reported to be 10.6% (1.7% NP, 7.7 MBP and 2.9% LBP) and in high school students (12–17 years) the prevalence of BP
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