Is There a Link Between Parent and Child Back Pain?

Research shows a family link between parents and children for various health problems. Heart and lung diseases, metabolic disorders, and cancer have familial links. What about back pain? Could there be a parental back pain link between the adult care giver and the adolescent?

To find out more about this possibility, a large number of teens and parents in western Australia were surveyed and examined. All children involved were 14 years old. Questionnaires with over 100 questions were completed. Information was collected about physical, medical, nutritional, psychosocial, and developmental issues. The physical exam included body, strength, and fitness measurements.

The data was analyzed with the following results:

  • Age and sex of the caregiver was not linked with the child's back pain
  • Depression, anxiety, or stress in the caregiver was not linked with the child's experience of back pain
  • Family income was not a factor in the child's back pain
  • Children whose parent smoked were more likely to have back pain
  • 36 per cent of the children whose main caregiver had no back pain reported back pain themselves
  • 43 per cent of the children whose main caregiver had back pain also reported back pain themselves
  • 48 per cent of the children whose parents both reported back pain also had back pain

    The results of this study help to show that among adolescents who have back pain, there is a family link. Factors that may be present have not been identified yet. Caregiver attitudes and beliefs about pain may be the key.

    How much is genetics and how much can be credited to behavioral factors remains unknown. Diet, movement, and activity are other areas that should be studied. Preventing back pain in adolescents may be possible if we understand the links between back pain in caregivers and teenagers.



    References: Peter B. O'Sullivan, PhD, et al. Carer Experience of Back Pain is Associated with Adolescent Back Pain Experiment Even When Controlling for Other Carer and Family Factors. In The Clinical Journal of Pain. March/April 2008. Vol. 24. No. 3. Pp. 226-231.

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