Advertisement for orthosearch.org.uk
Orthopaedic Proceedings Logo

Receive monthly Table of Contents alerts from Orthopaedic Proceedings

Comprehensive article alerts can be set up and managed through your account settings

View my account settings

Visit Orthopaedic Proceedings at:

Loading...

Loading...

Full Access

Spine

TRAJECTORIES OF BACK PAIN IN ADOLESCENTS

The 27th annual ACM SI/GUCCS conference



Abstract

Background and purpose

Trajectories of change over time can illustrate the course of pain. Back pain trajectories have previously been identified among adults. Understanding different patterns of back pain among adolescents could shed light on how persistent back pain develops. We aimed to identify and compare trajectories of back pain among adolescents in the general population.

Methods and results

This prospective cohort study followed 1,336 adolescents (initially aged 11 years) every three months for three years, using self-completion questionnaires. Latent class growth analysis was used to cluster subjects into distinct trajectories of back pain. Six clusters were identified. Most subjects (78%) had very low likelihood of back pain throughout follow-up. The second largest cluster (10%) had relatively low and falling probability of back pain. Two clusters (4% each) showed increasing probability of back pain. One cluster had a peak likelihood of pain around age 13 (2%). The smallest cluster (1%) had very high probability of back pain throughout follow-up. The more painful trajectories had significantly fewer males, higher levels of depression and somatization, and lower life satisfaction at baseline, but differed little in physical activity or BMI.

Conclusions

Over a fifth of adolescents had trajectories indicating back pain, but a minority had persistent pain problems. Poorer baseline psychological status and female gender were linked with more frequently experienced pain. Trajectories indicating rising or persistent pain might be illustrating the beginning of a long-term pain problem. Headache, facial pain and stomach pain trajectories were also identified in this sample; findings were similar to back pain.

Conflicts of interest: None

Sources of funding: This study was supported by Grant No. P01 DE08773 from the National Institutes of Health, USA. KMD is supported by a Wellcome Trust Research Career Development Fellowship [083572].

This abstract has not been previously published nor has it been presented previously at a national or international meeting.