• Mark Perry, Leon Straker, Peter O'Sullivan, Anne Smith, and Beth Hands.
• Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Australia.
• J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2009 Jun 1; 39 (6): 439-49.

Study DesignCross-sectional survey.ObjectivesTo assess the associations between adolescent back pain and fitness, motor competence, and body composition.BackgroundAlthough deficits in physical fitness and motor control have been shown to relate to adult back pain, the evidence in adolescents is less clear.Methods And MeasuresIn this cross-sectional study, 1608 "Raine" cohort adolescents (mean age, 14 years) answered questions on lifetime, month, and chronic prevalence of back pain, and participated in a range of physical tests assessing aerobic capacity, muscle performance, flexibility, motor competence, and body composition.A history of any diagnosed back pain in the adolescent was obtained from the primary caregiver.ResultsAfter multivariate logistic regression analysis, increased likelihood of back pain in boys was associated with greater aerobic capacity, greater waist girth, and both reduced and greater flexibility. Back pain in girls was associated with greater abdominal endurance, reduced kinesthetic integration, and both reduced and greater back endurance. Lower likelihood of back pain was associated with greater bimanual dexterity in boys and greater lower extremity power in girls.ConclusionPhysical characteristics are commonly cited as important risk factors in back pain development. Although some factors were associated with adolescent back pain, and these differed between boys and girls, they made only a small contribution to logistic regression models for back pain. The results suggest future work should explore the interaction of multiple domains of risk factors (physical, lifestyle, and psychosocial) and subgroups of adolescent back pain, for whom different risk factors may be important.

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