My 12yo has back pain

[bisous]

What would you do? DS2 has been complaining of a sore back and neck. DH says he had that kind of pain as a kid. He’s very skinny and complains of “noodle arms” (Skinny and weak) but at the same time he’s a good runner and hiker. Does he need exercise? A good chiropractor? Physical therapy? He plays violin and loves it. Maybe there are experts that deal with that kind of movement?

My thinking is, I can treat the pain. Or I can figure out where he is weak or moving improperly and fix that. I feel like pain at age 12 is strange. WWYD?

[gatorsmom]

What would you do? DS2 has been complaining of a sore back and neck. DH says he had that kind of pain as a kid. He’s very skinny and complains of “noodle arms” (Skinny and weak) but at the same time he’s a good runner and hiker. Does he need exercise? A good chiropractor? Physical therapy? He plays violin and loves it. Maybe there are experts that deal with that kind of movement?

My thinking is, I can treat the pain. Or I can figure out where he is weak or moving improperly and fix that. I feel like pain at age 12 is strange. WWYD?

How long has he been complaining of this pain? Upper or lower back? What kind of pain is it? Is there any activity that he does a lot of? Has he been practicing his violin a lot? Could that be the cause of the pain? Did he start up hiking again? Maybe pulled something? The Holidays bring lots of breaks in routines and travel. Did he sleep overnight somewhere other than his bed? He could be sore from that. Did he start a new activity at school? A new project? Sometimes my DD gets a backache and she gets a pain up in her shoulder when she is constipated. Could constipation be the problem?

Does your doctor have a nurse-line you could call? Maybe you could run it by a nurse to find out if your DS needs to be seen.

[bisous]

That’s a good list of questions! It’s upper back/shoulder area. He sleeps VERY deeply. Could be his pillow. It’s been going on for a while and seems to be exacerbated by playing violin. He’s struggled with constipation for YEARS. Did Miralax for at least 2 years and no longer shares his struggles with me regarding that but he’s notorious for holding up the bathroom for a very long time!

[Liziz]

You mention it seems exacerbated by the violin playing....I'd start with that as a likely cause. First stop would be to talk with the violin teacher and make sure his technique and posture is perfectly correct....if you're doing something frequently and repetitively, even a minor thing can turn into an issue. I'd also ask the violin teacher specifically about stretches or strength exercises he could do. My friend teaches violin, and she talks about how a lot of her time with new players is spent simply helping them build the muscles they need for violin in the right way -- so maybe he needs more of that? (I don't play violin so just guessing!)

Since childhood, I have liked to sleep with one arm tucked under my pillow and head....but if I do it for too long, I start to have back and neck pain. It probably started to be an issue for me around the teen years -- and always goes away when I make an effort to sleep in a different position (then I always end up going back and the cycle continues! lol). So considering his sleep position could help -- especially if he sleeps deeply and may not be noticing pain/discomfort cues in the middle of the night.

I would also look up some basic neck and back stretches and exercises online and work with him on doing them consistently for a couple weeks (ideally a few times a day).

If pain continues and none of those suggestions help, I'd schedule a doctor visit to go over anything else, but I'd probably start with those things.

[squimp]

It can happen. DD had back pain at age 12, and we took her to PT for a sports-related issue. Turns out her serve was the problem, one of her coaches was explaining something in a way that caused her to bend her back in a bad way. We found a good sports PT that works with local HS students, and after 4-6 sessions she had it fixed - along with a big list of stretches and core strengthening ideas that have stayed with her. She has gone back a couple of times with other injuries for touch ups or tweaking, it is largely covered by insurance. It has been super helpful and I would never have thought of it - when I was a kid you just dealt with stuff LOL.

[StantonHyde]

Start with the violin instructor. Is his technique ok? Then, See the pediatrician to get a PT referral. Some insurance doesn’t require a referral-check yours. I see a PT and DD, age 14, is seizing one for headache caused by neck strain.

[bisous]

I like the idea of starting with the violin teacher. I know his teacher has had some long term damage from an inappropriate stance so she might have some good referrals for DS2. I do get the impression that either moving differently or working on some kind of strength or posture might be the key here. We do have some good PT available through our health insurance (Kaiser) but if they don't handle the violin angle, it may even be worth it to pay OOP. Hopefully we won't have to!

Thanks for chiming in!

[klwa]

I agree that checking with the violin instructor is a good first step. But, I think SOME pain at 12 is kind of common. I had horrible back pain around that age because of my growth. Once I quit growing, the back pain stopped.

[KpbS]

Are you friends with any physical therapists? They are really good at understanding the human body and could examine your DS and then offer their opinion if the problem was skeletal, muscular, overuse, poor positioning, etc. I personally would start there and get an opinion to later pursue further medical evaluation and various treatment options depending on diagnosis.

[niccig]

We had to get DS a backpack with better straps, support etc for back and neck pain.


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