5 reasons more kids are experiencing back pain

Parents sometimes joke about their children recovering from injuries faster than they do. Although some kids may feel that way, back pain is becoming a more common problem for children and teens.

Learning how it presents could help you get the support your loved ones need to become comfortable in their bodies again.

1. Strains After Playing Sports

Kids often play intense sports. Wrestling, hockey, basketball and karate are a few that strain the body, especially if your child does them year-round. Strenuous activities put children at higher risk of physical discomfort, even without injuries. For example, researchers found that kids between 8 and 15 years old experience low back pain when playing hockey with tight hamstrings. Your child may need physical therapy to feel more comfortable without disrupting their athletic schedule.

2. Back Stiffness

Feeling tight and unable to move comfortably can indicate that a young person needs professional support. General muscle stiffness happens in kids, teens and adolescents undergoing growth spurts. Reaching out to an expert may help.

Licensed care providers like physical medicine and rehabilitation (PMR) physicians work with patients to improve their functionality and mobility while dealing with muscle stiffness. Targeted back exercises and stretches may be all your young person needs to feel more comfortable.

3. Lower Back Pain Without Injuries

Kids and teens may not worry about adult responsibilities like paying bills, but that doesn’t mean they never experience stress, anger or grief. Emotional distress can cause oxygen deprivation in the muscles, leading to lower back pain that happens without an injury.

If you or a loved one needs to talk to someone, resources are available at no cost so you can feel less alone. Therapists also assist kids with emotional distress every day. Talking about your feelings helps you process things and move forward, which could be all your young person needs to resolve their negative feelings and back pain.

4. Discomfort in Specific Surroundings

Bullying is a pervasive problem for kids, teens and young adults. They may encounter it at school, part-time jobs or while scrolling on social media at home. If their back pain flares when they’re around toxic individuals, it could be the trigger for their discomfort.

Back pain sometimes happens when someone feels unsafe in a specific environment. Talk with your child or teenager about when their discomfort typically occurs. You may pinpoint bullies who trigger the pain and figure out how to fix the situation.

5. Tightness After Sitting

When people talk about having proper posture, they often reference adults working full-time hours on a computer. Young people can also feel physical discomfort related to how they hold their spines. They may slouch during school, homework sessions or while gaming through the night.

Muscle tightness in the back could mean your child has slight swelling. Ice packs can reduce muscular swelling if improper posture causes tissue inflammation. See if it eases your kid’s pain the next time they mention their back hurting. You could also try using a heating pad to relieve their discomfort, which may address muscle spasms in response to inflammation.

Protect Your Child’s Back From Lasting Pain

Young people experience back pain for numerous reasons. Consider your child or teen’s lifestyle. Do they deal with bullying, play intense sports or have emotional stressors? You’ll help them more effectively by talking with them about when their back pain flares and identifying triggers together before contacting an expert for help.