Lower back pain in U16 football (Soccer) players

[toad]

I currently have a handful of the squad suffering from lower back pain which I find odd in young fit boys... Could this be a result of tight hamstrings or simply an over use or growing thing???

This strikes me as partly a training issue if a few have this problem - do they dynamically warm up, do they perform a cool down and flexibilty work. MAin thing i find at football academies is the players get tight then do a lot of training and get sore.

You should definitely check all main muscle groups around the pelvis - quads/hip flexors/ hamstrings. Also checking lower limb biomechanical control - eg small knee bends. And spinal mobility in thoracic spine and lumbar. I also find there general stability isn't always brilliant.

Also at that age posture - school bag over one shoulder, long days slouched etc may influence there symptoms.

[charmainet]

Thank you both for your replies... I will work on some of your suggestions and see how we go. Think one of my main issues is that I don't often make it to training sessions due to the fact that I have to work - sure you are both aware of just how tight it is to live on a student loan!!

I have been pushing for a more dynamic warm up session and certainly on match days when I take the warm up and cool down sessions I do put the emphasis on a dynamic warm up and build as much flexibility into the cool down as I can - not always easy post match as they just want to go off and get their food!!!!

Thanks again

Char

[camaron]

Interesting. I am a parent of a 16 year old girl soccer players who complains, as do many of her team, of back pain. In particular it gets worse playing on third generation astroturf.

Has anyone heard of a possible issue here with back pain on astro?

[112inky]

they are straing very high and don't do the proper warming process. Also playing rapidly wil casuethe lower back pain