Back Pain Does Not Wait Until Adulthood
Low back pain can begin earlier than families expect. In one study, about 4% of nine-year-olds reported low back pain during the month. By age 13, that figure had risen to 22%, and by age 15 it was 36%. For a child, back pain can mean sitting out sport, struggling to concentrate at school, sleeping badly, or becoming afraid of movements that should feel natural and enjoyable.[1]
The teenage years can be difficult. Bodies grow quickly, schoolwork becomes more demanding, screen time rises, and sport or training may become more intense. Worldwide, an estimated 38 million new low back pain cases occurred among 10- to 19-year-olds in 2021. Back pain during these years is not always “just growing pains.” Young people who have back pain are also more likely to report it again later. Pain can quietly shrink their world, taking away confidence, activity, friendships and independence.[2,3]
In adults, low back pain is even more common. Around 619 million people worldwide were living with it in 2020—about one person in every thirteen. It is the leading cause of years lived with disability across the world. For adults, the impact can reach far beyond the back: missed work, broken sleep, and not being able to lift a child, garden, drive, or complete a day without thinking about pain.[4]
The good news is that most low back pain can be. Chiropractic care is a great option! Our chiropractors at Burpengary Chiropractic Clinic will listen to your story, examine how you move, check for warning signs, explain what may be contributing to the pain, and create a plan to help you move with confidence. You care may include gentle hands-on treatment, spinal manipulation or mobilisation, exercise, advice about daily activity, and support to gradually return to work, school, sport and family life.[5,6]
Research shows that spinal manipulation can provide improvement in pain and movement for adults with long-lasting low back pain. A trial in adolescents also found that spinal manipulation combined with exercise produced better longer-term results than exercise alone.
At Burpengary Chiropractic Clinic we closely work with other health providers such as general practitioners, exercise physiologists, physiotherapist, massage therapist and gym trainers.
Back pain is common, but it should never make someone feel forgotten. Early help, clear advice and safe movement can open life up again. The goal is less pain, but also more freedom, trust and hope in everyday life.
References
1. Kjaer P, Wedderkopp N, Korsholm L, Leboeuf-Yde C. Prevalence and tracking of back pain from childhood to adolescence. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. 2011;12:98. doi:10.1186/1471-2474-12-98.
2. Calvo-Muñoz I, Gómez-Conesa A, Sánchez-Meca J. Prevalence of low back pain in children and adolescents: a meta-analysis. BMC Pediatrics. 2013;13:14. doi:10.1186/1471-2431-13-14.
3. Wang S, et al. Global, regional and national burden of low back pain in adolescents aged 10–19 years, 1990–2021. 2025. PubMed PMID: 40599254.
4. GBD 2021 Low Back Pain Collaborators. Global, regional, and national burden of low back pain, 1990–2020, its attributable risk factors, and projections to 2050. The Lancet Rheumatology. 2023;5:e316–e329. doi:10.1016/S2665-9913(23)00098-X.
5. World Health Organization. WHO guideline for non-surgical management of chronic primary low back pain in adults in primary and community care settings. Geneva: WHO; 2023.
6. de Zoete A, Innocenti T, Petrozzi MJ, et al. Spinal manipulative therapy for adults with chronic low back pain. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2026;1:CD008112. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD008112.pub3.
7. Evans R, Haas M, Schulz C, Leininger B, Hanson L, Bronfort G. Spinal manipulation and exercise for low back pain in adolescents: a randomized trial. Pain. 2018;159(7):1297–1307. doi:10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001211.
