Back pain in a young gymnast is worth an evaluation when it lasts more than two weeks, comes with a limp or swelling, wakes your child at night, or shows up at the same point in practice every time. Any one of those signs is reason enough to book, and Dr. Ed will tell you straight if it is nothing to worry about.
Why a growing gymnast's back hurts differently
Growing bodies get hurt differently. Growth plates are softer than the tendons that pull on them, so a teenager's lower back can hurt in ways an adult's would not. A flexible young gymnast or dancer can also be strong in one direction and unprotected in another.
Rady Children's Health says teenage gymnasts and football linemen are at higher risk of stress fractures in the lower spine that cause symptoms. It points to the repeated hyperextension of the lower back in their sports, which means arching backward again and again (Rady Children's Health).
Five signs that point past a growing pain
These are the five signs to watch for. The same list applies to a young dancer.
- Pain that lasts more than two weeks.
- A limp.
- Swelling.
- Pain that wakes your child at night.
- Pain that shows up every time at the same point in practice.
None of these proves an injury. Each one is a reason to have it looked at.
One cause worth knowing about: spondylolysis
That kind of stress fracture is called spondylolysis. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons describes it as a weakness or stress fracture in one of the vertebrae, the small bones that make up the spinal column (OrthoInfo). Rady Children's Health says it is seen more often in young football linemen, gymnasts, dancers and martial artists (Rady Children's Health).
OrthoInfo says the most common symptom is lower back pain, which may feel similar to a muscle strain and may get worse with activity and better with rest (OrthoInfo). Rady Children's Health describes the main symptom as pain in the lower back, especially when bending backward (Rady Children's Health).
A blog post cannot tell you whether your child has it. OrthoInfo says your child's doctor examines the back and spine, and that imaging tests help confirm the diagnosis (OrthoInfo). If the pain started after a serious injury, such as a hard fall, Dr. Ed's advice is to see a doctor first.
What Dr. Ed does at the first visit
Dr. Ed has treated rhythmic gymnasts, dancers and team-sport kids from the local clubs. At the first visit he checks how your child moves, works out what is behind the pain, and explains it in plain terms.
A parent or guardian stays for the whole visit, because Dr. Ed does not treat minors without one present. You see what he does and learn the home exercises, so you can run them between visits.
The aim is never just pain relief. It is getting back to the sport and doing it well: the cause fixed, the weak link strengthened, and a clear line on when it is safe to go full speed again.
For spondylolysis, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (OrthoInfo) lists these among the nonsurgical treatments:
- A period of rest from sports and other activities that place excessive stress on the lower back.
- A back brace for some patients.
- Physical therapy. Specific exercises can help improve flexibility, stretch tight hamstring muscles and strengthen muscles in the back and abdomen.
Rady Children's Health describes treatment as a period of rest from the activities that cause the problem, plus physical therapy (Rady Children's Health).
Dr. Ed works out what is safe this week and what to hold back on, and adjusts it as your child improves, so they keep training as much as the injury allows. Treatment is hands-on in the clinic, plus a short home program that he adjusts at each visit. He does not quote a number of visits up front. How many your child needs depends on how their body responds, so he sets the plan after the first evaluation.
What to do next
If any sign above fits your child, book an evaluation. Dr. Ed treats school-age children and teenagers, and the pediatric physical therapy page answers common questions from parents, from ages to after-school appointments. Parents' own words about their children's visits are on the Reviews page.