Definition

• Pain or discomfort in the upper, mid or lower back
• Includes minor muscle strain from back overuse

Causes

• Strained back muscles cause most lower back pain.
• New backaches in teens are mostly from strained back muscles (muscle overuse). There are 200 muscles in the back that allow us to stand upright.
• Triggers are carrying something too heavy or lifting from an awkward position. Bending too far backward or sideways can cause back pain. Digging in the garden for too long causes overuse of back muscles.
• In school age children, heavy backpacks have become a common cause. They also can cause shoulder and neck pains. Children who have not gone into puberty are at greater risk. Reason: they lack the muscle mass.
• Sciatica is pain caused by a pinched nerve in the lower back. Sciatica gives a burning pain in the buttock without back pain. The pain shoots into the back of the leg. The most intense pain can be in the lower leg and foot. Leg weakness, numbness or tingling can also occur. Sciatica is rare in children but common in adults.
• Hard coughing can cause pain in the upper back

Symptoms of Strained Back Muscles

• The pain is in the middle or lower back
• The pain is made worse by bending
• The muscles near the spine are tender to the touch
• The muscles may be tight (in spasm)

Pain Scale

• Mild: Your child feels pain and tells you about it. But, the pain does not keep your child from any normal activities. School, play and sleep are not changed.
• Moderate: The pain keeps your child from doing some normal activities. It may wake him or her up from sleep.
• Severe: The pain is very bad. It keeps your child from doing all normal activities.