Spinal pain in Danish school children - how often and how long? The CHAMPS Study-DK.
Spinal pain in children and adolescents is a common condition, usually transitory, but the picture of spinal pain still needs elucidation, mainly due to variation in measurement methods. The aim of this study was to describe the occurrence of spinal pain in 8-15 year-old Danish school children, over a 3-year period. Specifically determining the characteristics of spinal pain in terms of frequency and duration.



The study was a 3-year prospective longitudinal cohort study including 1400 school children. The outcomes were based on weekly text messages (SMS) to the parents inquiring about the child's musculoskeletal pain, and on clinical data from examinations of the children.



The 3-year prevalence was 55%. The prevalence was 29%, 33% and 31% for each of the three study years respectively, and increased statistically significantly with age, especially for lumbopelvic pain. Most children had few and short-lasting episodes with spinal pain, but more than one out of five children had three or more episodes during a study year and 17% of all episodes lasted for more than 4 weeks.



This study demonstrates that spinal pain is a substantial problem. Most episodes are brief, but there are a vast number of children with frequent and long-lasting episodes of spinal pain indicating a need for action regarding evidence-based prevention and management.
Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230, Odense M, Denmark. kbdissing@health.sdu.dk.
Kristina Boe
KB
Dissing
Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230, Odense M, Denmark.|Nordic Institute of Chiropractic and Clinical Biomechanics, Campusvej 55, DK-5230, Odense M, Denmark.
Lise
L
Hestbæk
Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230, Odense M, Denmark.|Nordic Institute of Chiropractic and Clinical Biomechanics, Campusvej 55, DK-5230, Odense M, Denmark.
Jan
J
Hartvigsen
Hunter Medical Research Institute, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.|Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Local Health District, Longworth Ave, Wallsend, NSW, Australia.
Christopher
C
Williams
The George Institute for Global Health, Level 3, 50 Bridge St, Sydney, NSW, 2000, Australia.
Steven
S
Kamper
Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230, Odense M, Denmark.|Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 155 College St, Toronto, ON, M5T 3M7, Canada.
Eleanor
E
Boyle
Institute of Regional Health Services Research, University of Southern Denmark, Winsloewparken 193, DK-5000, Odense C, Denmark.|Sports Medicine Clinic, Orthopaedic Department Hospital of Lillebaelt, Østre Hougvej 55, DK-5500, Middelfart, Denmark.
Niels
N
Wedderkopp
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001416:Back Pain / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D059352:Musculoskeletal Pain / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010290:Parents; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors
Adolescents; Children; Prevalence; Spinal pain