Reduced physical function and psychosocial health for obese children with lower extremity pain
MONDAY, Oct. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Obese children with lower extremity (LE) pain have worse physical function and poorer psychosocial health compared to those without LE pain, according to a study published online Oct. 12 in Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research.
Sharon Bout-Tabaku, M.D., from The Ohio State University in Columbus, and colleagues reviewed the medical charts of 183 obese children for anthropometrics, demographics, reports of musculoskeletal pain, physical fitness level, and Pediatric Quality of Life (PedsQL) measures. Data were analyzed from 51 children with lower extremity pain (LE+) and 124 without.
The researchers observed no difference in body mass index (BMI) z scores and physical fitness scores between the groups. Worse scores on the PedsQL-Physical Function scale and PedsQL-Psychosocial Health scale were seen for children in the LE+ group. BMI z scores were negatively correlated with PedsQL-Physical Function scores, PedsQL-Psychosocial Health scores, and physical fitness scores.
"Overall, our findings indicate that obese children with LE pain do have worse physical function and poorer psychosocial health compared with obese children without LE pain," the authors write. "Our findings indicate that LE pain should be considered in the evaluation and management of children who are obese."
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