A study led by Catalan researchers confirms that 40% of adolescents have low back pain at least once a month. However, the real effect of this pain is minimal in 90% of cases. Another important piece of information: only 35% of adolescents have not had any type of pain in the last month.
The study, carried out by various Catalan research centres in collaboration with two Swiss hospitals, analysed the prevalence of low back pain in Spain and examined whether this discomfort affects the quality of life of adolescents. The results showed that 40% of young people do have pain (over 24 hours of discomfort in the past month).
The research, published in the journal, Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, was conducted in Barcelona and Freiburg. In the Swiss city the data of all adolescents between 14 and 15 years old was recorded, while in Barcelona a representative sample of the same age range was analysed. The study included a total of 1,470 participants.
"It needs to be pointed out that the data from Barcelona is the same as that from the city of Freiburg, which gives an idea of the universal nature of our findings. Although both cities represent the Western world, they are two completely different contexts", SINC was informed by Ferrán Pellisé, the main author of the study and doctor from the Spinal Unit at the Vall d'Hebrón Hospital in Barcelona.
In terms of impact on quality of life, the results showed that of the percentage of adolescents affected by low back pain, in 90% this pain had no functional repercussion. The biggest limitation of the study is, according to Pellisé, lack of knowledge over whether this pain might have future consequences.
"The conclusion we reached is that isolated low back pain is very common among adolescents, but has little impact on their quality of life. Low back pain is different in an adolescent whose whole body hurts, in which case it does have an impact on quality of life. This situation, observed in 10% of participants, is more common in girls than boys", he added.
Pain related behaviour
The data is significant: only 35% of young people questioned did not have any type of pain in the last month. In other words, 65% of adolescents acknowledged that they have had pain recently. "Within reasonable parameters, pain is a common experience in the life of a healthy person. The risk perhaps of saying this is to minimise possible serious cases, which is why it is necessary to be very prudent with the results", the Catalan researcher emphasised to SINC.