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Back pain in children
Last reviewed: 06.07.2025
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Back pain in children is often concentrated in the lower back. This pain syndrome often occurs in small children, but is more widespread among teenagers, especially those who are actively involved in sports. Back pain in children can occur immediately after significant exertion, and several hours after it. It can be periodic or constant. Regarding the degree of intensity, the pain can be quite weak, and so strong that the child is unable to move independently.
[ Diseases that cause back pain in children
The most common causes of lower back pain in children are back muscle strain, which is the result of intense physical activity; back muscle strain, which is caused by sudden twisting movements, especially during sports; and muscle spasms, which may have caused injuries from prolonged periods of being in an uncomfortable position (watching TV, playing computer games), as well as injuries sustained in car accidents.
Other causes of mild back pain in children include very soft mattresses and poor posture. Children who have to lift heavy objects or overweight children who have to carry much more of their own body weight than their peers often suffer from back muscle strain and back pain. Acute pain syndrome and increased muscle sensitivity in the neck and shoulder area can also be caused by stress.
Lower back pain in children can be caused by inflammation of the bladder or kidneys, as well as kidney stones, although they are not so common in children. Children who have the flu sometimes complain of pain in the lower back. Teenage girls may feel back pain during or before their monthly menstruation. But all these conditions are not of a serious nature.
Most other causes of back pain in children are related to various muscular or skeletal disorders. Adolescents who play sports often suffer bone fractures due to overexertion. Dislocations also occur as a result of sports or other injuries (for example, accidents). In the latter two cases, the victim should be immediately shown to a doctor.
Quite painful injuries can also result from a child falling on their tailbone, although these types of injuries are rarely too serious.
Some of the rarest causes of back pain in children include spinal cysts, arthritis, spinal fractures or slipped discs, nerve disorders, developmental abnormalities in the hips or spine, leg length discrepancies, spinal diseases, and leukemia. Spinal tumors are extremely rare, but are often identified as scoliosis with pain syndrome, which is often accompanied by low muscle tone.
Also rare causes of back pain in children are juvenile spondylitis and osteochondropathy of the spine (Scheuermann-Mau disease). This pathology is mainly predisposed to boys.
Other causes of back pain in children:
- psychogenic nature;
- intervertebral hernias and osteochondropathy;
- dysplastic spondylopathy, spondylolysis or spondylolisthesis;
- juvenile spondylitis;
- infectious diseases of the intervertebral discs, vertebrae (tuberculosis, osteomyelitis);
- osteoporosis: (iatrogenic, with endocrinopathies, idiopathic);
- diseases of tumor nature (metastatic, bone-cartilaginous structures and ligaments, spinal cord);
- hematological diseases (hereditary spherocytic anemia, sickle cell anemia);
- diseases of internal organs: projection pain in diseases, congenital anomalies and tumors of the gastrointestinal tract and urogenital area.
If back pain occurs in children, then, as a rule, other health problems are present along with it. It is much easier to identify these problems if there are other symptoms in addition to back pain. If a child has frequent urination and experiences pain, if there is blood in the urine or the urine is colorless, and the child has an elevated body temperature, then the cause of this condition is probably a urinary tract infection. The child should be shown to a doctor. Signals that indicate that serious problems have arisen include decreased tone in the legs, back pain radiating to one or both legs at once, lameness. In these cases, the child should be immediately shown to a doctor. You can contact an orthopedic traumatologist, pediatrician, oncologist, urologist, gynecologist (for girls) and hematologist.