Relationship between low-back pain and flexibility in children: A cross-sectional study

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Musculoskeletal Health
• Public Health

Background:

• Low-back pain (LBP) is prevalent in school-aged children, with childhood inflexibility potentially impacting adult LBP.
• Existing research on the association between LBP and trunk flexibility in children is limited.
• Understanding this relationship in elementary students is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of LBP among Japanese elementary school students.
• To investigate the relationship between LBP and physical function, specifically trunk and lower extremity flexibility.
• To identify independent risk factors for LBP in this age group.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 394 elementary school students (aged 6-12) in Japan.
• Measurements included fingertip-to-floor distance, back muscle strength, pelvic tilt angle during gait, and visual analog scale for LBP.
• Logistic regression analysis was employed to identify independent risk factors for LBP.

Main Results:

• The prevalence of LBP was 9.6% among the participants.
• A shorter fingertip-to-floor distance (indicating reduced flexibility) was identified as an independent risk factor for LBP (OR, 0.921; p = 0.007).
• LBP risk increased with decreased flexibility, irrespective of sex or muscle strength.

Conclusions:

• Reduced trunk and lower extremity flexibility is associated with an increased risk of low-back pain in elementary school children.
• Interventions aimed at improving flexibility may be beneficial for managing and preventing LBP in this population.
• Early identification and management of inflexibility in children are recommended to address LBP concerns.