United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Does any of your bpi children complain of back pain? Peyton is always complaining of his back hurting, and he is always asking me to crack his back. Is it related??

My daughter (9 years old, ROBPI) is always complaining that her legs hurt. I think it's growing pains???
I don't know what to tell you about the back; maybe you should have the pediatrician check it out?
New bed/matress?

Peggy

My daughter is a bit too young yet (5) to start talking about that, but it wouldn't surprise me. If the shoulder is dropped down, your whole body is out of alignment, same thing for hips. In addition to her arm and shoulder work, we work constantly on stretching out my daughter's hip and elongate her trunk, she tends to internally rotate her hips, and shorten her trunk on her BPI side, which causes problems with her leg and knee.

Try going one hour with dropping your shoulder down slightly and then you'll start to realize all the areas that this injury can affect. Please know that I am no doctor, nurse, or therapist...just a mom who tries to find ways to get in tune with what my daugher is going through...so every now and again I try this...it really does a number when you're at the computer (I'm doing it now...)

If you hold your body out of alignment for too long, your body is going to compensate and its going to hurt because your body is meant to be carried a certain way posturely and many of our kids don't hold their bodies that way and put more pressure on other areas of their bodies than they were designed to handle. (I tend to slouch a lot when I'm watching tv..that gives me a lot of back pain....and I don't have a BPI)

Of course, checking it out with your pediatrician is good advice to rule out anything else. But I'd also try to have a therapist address it. I think the back is one of those areas where there is "referred" pain, meaning you feel pain in your back when the source might be from someplace else. I'm sure there are plenty with a medical background on here that can correct me if I'm wrong.

Is it the upper or lower back that hurts?

Anyway, just some additional thoughts. I'm sure there could be many reasons for the pain and I hope your child gets some relief!

I think you should see a doctor about the back pain. I would be scared to death to crack my daughters back. That gives me the willies thinkin about it

I think that back pain would be related because of the way they carry themselves. I would never crack my childs back but would take them to the chiropractor. I believe Dr. Nath told the Attorney I was working with that he would probably need a chiroprator sooner than later !

ok, I don't crack his back, one time I picked him up in a bear hug and his back just cracked, and ever since then he has asked me to crack his back, I don't lay him on the floor and crack his back or anything!!! But I may check into a chiropractor, thanks!

Marnie,
My back / shoulder region bothers me a lot. They have taken x-rays and said that every thing is formed correctly but other than that they dont do much. my OT did ultrasound to ease the pain and a massage a couple times but it always comes back.
I hope that Peyton's pain goes away soon.
Hugs,
Amy 18 ROBPI

Back pain is a lifetime issue for me.
~Hugs to all,Carolyn J,
age 67 & proud of it!LOBPI

back pain has been a lifetime issue for me...
As for growing pains I think that's an answer doctors give when they don't know the reason for a child's complaint. They always told my mother I had growing pains even when I was toe walking on my right foot only... in fact they said it was to get attention. But it was because my right leg hurt so much.

I raised three children and I have 13 nieces and nephews and they did not suffer from growing pains... not like the ones I experiences that sometimes brought me to tears.
Kath