How Common are Herniated Disks in Children?

Discussion Intervertebral disk herniation occurs at the same locations in pediatric patients as adults with L4-L5 and L5-S1 being the most common. Patients often (30-60% for lumbar disk patients) have a direct trauma or sports related injury that is identified before the onset of pain. There is also a group of morbidly obese patients who probably have degenerative disease. In adults and children, lumbar disk herniation is also seen with repetitive or excessive axial loading, poor conditioning, decreased range of motion and history of prior back injury. Disk herniation is caused by vertebral motion that causes increased intradisk pressure including axial compression, lumbar flexion and/or rotation. Presentation is usually acute low back pain and/or lower extremity radiculopathy. Pediatric patients often will have less specific descriptions of the pain or complain of other symptoms which leads to longer duration before diagnosis. Disk disease is also uncommon therefore other common causes of back pain are usually sought first. A differential diagnosis of back pain can be found here. “Less than 10% of children presenting with low back pain have disk herniation as the cause, and less than half of those children require surgery.” Causes of back pain that are associated with back extension on physical examination include spondylolysis or spondylolisthesis, and slipped vertebral epiphysis. Problems associated with back flexion on physical examination include disk herniat...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news