Lower back pain

Being involved in competitive sports in childhood increases the risk of developing lower back pain in the long run, a new study finds.

According to the study published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine, college students who had been involved in competitive sports since elementary school are more likely to have experienced at least a single episode of low back pain in their life than their less-competitive peers.

The more years children spend in competitive sports, the greater their risk of suffering back pain becomes. The pain is also reported to be more serious and debilitating among these students, the study found.

It is, however, unclear whether the training techniques, or certain postures and motions adopted in particular sports lead to the higher risk of low back pain in these individuals.

Scientists urged teenagers to play and exercise more regularly despite the findings of this study, stressing that too much TV time and inactivity can also place kids at risk of lower back pain.

Further information can be found at Competitive sports ups low back pain in kids