Back

A stack of bones

Your spine is a stack of small bones called vertebrae. It supports your body and protects your spinal cord, the bundle of nerves that carries messages between your brain and your muscles.

Discs are the cushions

Between each pair of vertebrae is a squishy disc. Discs cushion the bones and act as shock absorbers when you walk and run.

Your lower back carries a lot

The bottom part of your spine, your lower back, works the hardest to support your weight. It also does a lot of the moving when you bend, lift, and twist.

Your core muscles in your belly and back help support it, like a built-in belt.

Arching backward again and again

Gymnastics, diving, football, and weightlifting can bend the lower back backward again and again. Over time, that can cause a tiny stress fracture in a lower back bone.

It's a common cause of lower back pain in young athletes.

Lifting with a rounded back

Bending at your waist with straight legs and a rounded back puts extra load on your lower spine. Bending your knees and lifting with your legs is safer.

Myth or fact?

• Back pain in kids and teens is always just a pulled muscle. Myth. A strained muscle is the most common cause, but back pain that lasts can be a stress fracture or something else. It should be checked.

Build a strong core

Planks, side planks, bird dogs, and bridges build the muscles that support your spine. Doing them 2 to 3 days a week helps keep your back strong.

Lift with your legs

Stand close to the object, bend at your knees, tighten your stomach muscles, then stand up using your legs. Don't bend at your waist.

Myth or fact?

• Carrying your backpack on one shoulder is just as good as using both straps. Myth. Slinging a backpack over one shoulder can strain your muscles. Using both straps spreads the weight across your back.

Don't play through back pain

If your back hurts during sports, stop the moves that hurt and tell an adult. Playing through it can make an injury harder to heal.

Tell an adult right away if...

...your back pain keeps you up at night, your legs feel numb, tingly, or weak, the pain shoots down your legs, or it started after a hard fall or hit.

Myth or fact?

• Numbness or tingling in your legs along with back pain is a sign to get help right away. Fact. Those signs can mean nerves are involved. Tell an adult and see a doctor right away.