It is not always easy to understand the signals children send us. Back pain should always alarm a parent, but sometimes the child may not show signs of pain, and sometimes the parent may dismiss it as a tantrum. In the long run, back pain can have several unpleasant effects, such as sleep (and behavior) problems and difficulty finding concentration (even and especially at school).

Obviously, the always valid advice is to check with a specialist. In the case of back pain the most indicated professional figures are the physiotherapist and the osteopath. Growing pains are not always easily manageable and for this reason it is necessary to rely on the experience of a specialist. Specific examinations may be necessary, examinations that today – however – are less invasive than in the past, thanks to the development of new technologies such as those used by Spine 3d.

Growing up is a very particular moment in the life of children and we can not leave out any control. The first thought is always related to scoliosis, but the causes can be different. Let’s go and see them together.

The causes of back pain in children

As we have said, among the various causes, there is not only scoliosis, although sometimes it is the one that causes the most concern. The other causes depend on various factors, such as poor posture (uncomfortable chair, the way they watch television, how they sit at the table, in the car and so on) or – very frequent lately – linked to problems of obesity (linked to little physical activity). But not to be neglected are also the tiredness due to the few hours of sleep or the excessive weight of a school backpack (a problem, it is shown, not strictly related to weight, but to the incorrect way of carrying it, since the body can support high weights without consequences). In addition to these, there are others that are less obvious (and therefore more neglected) such as inadequate eating habits, unsuitable shoes, unsuitable sports training, but also more subtle reasons such as psychological and behavioural causes.

Children are more delicate than adults, in some respects, and their flexibility is not always a good thing (if associated with the spine). The column, among other things, is still weak because it has a cartilaginous structure and so the supporting muscles are not yet formed. The period from 8 to 14 years old is very delicate and a good periodic control should never be missing. The pains that a child may experience in the adolescent phase may emerge especially at night and are often not continuous. They can, however, be accentuated by some of the factors listed above, especially overweight and excessively heavy backpacks. Parents are just asked to be a little careful: not all whining can be labeled as tantrums!

How can we prevent back pain?

Here’s a short list of a few tricks we can take to make sure the problem doesn’t emerge or get exacerbated.
Choose a backpack that fits well to the morphology of the back, those with adjustable straps (not too thin and adjusted so that the backpack is well in the center of the back). Avoid shoulder bags, because they do not promote a good weight balance. In any case, the load that can bear the back of a child should never exceed 10% of its weight. Of course, back pain does not depend only on issues related to posture or weight, but certainly in these cases we can do something to not aggravate the situation. Other causes, which however we cannot examine in detail are related to contractures, infections, tumors, scoliosis… the list – not to scare you – is definitely long and not always understandable if you are not specialized.

A control in complete safety

The best answers are always those that a specialist can provide. And today, thanks to the non-invasive technology of Spine 3d, it is possible to perform regular check-ups without having to worry about the risks involved. Your child’s health is a priority and today you can protect it 100%. Health and safety. If you need information we are always at your disposal.