A school-based survey of recurrent non-specific low-back pain prevalence and consequences in children

The aim of this investigation was to provide evidence of the prevalence and consequences of recurrent low-back pain in children from Northwest England. A cross-sectional survey was conducted involving a standardized questionnaire with established reliability and validity. A cross-sectional sample of 500 boys (n = 249) and girls (n = 251) aged between 10 and 16 years participated in the study. Average lifetime prevalence of low-back pain was 40.2% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 38.7-41.6]. Most cases of low-back pain were acute episodes that did not lead to disabling consequences. In contrast, 13.1% (95% CI = 12.5-13.7) experienced recurrent low-back pain that led to disabling consequences; 23.1% visited a medical practitioner, 30.8% experienced loss of physical activity/sports and 26.2% had been absent from school because of low-back pain. Recurrent low-back pain was particularly evident during late adolescence where one in five children were cases. The health education implications of low-back pain in children are discussed. It was concluded that low-back pain is a common complaint during childhood, although most cases are acute episodes that represent little health consequence. In contrast, some children experience recurrent low-back pain that can lead to disabling consequences. Future research should focus on recurrent low-back pain cases since they often led to disabling consequences.