Non-specific low back pain in children and adolescents: risk factors

Low back pain (LBP) among children and adolescents has become the subject o f an increasing amount of literature over the last 15 years. This topic, wh ich was considered almost insignificant less than two decades ago, was the focus of a recent international meeting organised in Grenoble (France) in M arch 1999. This review paper is the result of an literature update search p erformed by members of three groups which have been active in this field fo r many years. Current epidemiological data on LBP is summarized as well as the role of the major risk factors according to studies published in the pr incipal peer reviewed journals interested in the topic.