Epidemiology of Back Pain in Children and Youth Aged 10–19 from the Area of the Southeast of Poland

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this work was to define the prevalence of back pain in children and youth aged 10-19 from the southeast of Poland. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The cross-sectional study included 1089 students (547 girls and 542 boys) aged 10-19. The prevalence of back pain, its intensity, location, and situations in which it occurred were assessed with a questionnaire. RESULTS: Among 1089 respondents, 830 (76.2%) admitted that they had experienced back pain at various frequencies within the year preceding the study. Back pain was located mainly in the lumbar segment (74.8%). Mild pains were dominant, which was declared by 44.7% of the respondents. Girls experienced back pain significantly more frequently than boys (52.2% versus 47.8%, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The research revealed that back pain is a common phenomenon. The prevalence of back pain in children and youth living in southeast Poland is similar to the frequency of occurrence of such complaints occurring in peers in other countries. It seems significant to monitor the remaining regions of Poland in order to define the scale of the problem and to look for the risk factors of back pain in children and youth to undertake efficient prophylactic actions.