Back Pain in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: Prevalence, Mechanisms and Biopsychosocial Influences

This structured narrative review summarizes current research on the prevalence, mechanisms, and biopsychosocial correlates of back pain in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). A focused search of PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar was conducted using terms related to AIS, scoliosis, curve magnitude, and back pain. Observational, epidemiological, and review articles addressing prevalence, pain correlates, possible mechanisms, or biopsychosocial influences were considered. Research to date suggests that back pain is common in AIS and occurs more frequently than in adolescents without scoliosis, although reported prevalence varies because of heterogeneity in design, pain definitions, and treatment status. Available findings further suggest that radiographic deformity alone does not explain symptom severity. Altered spinal loading, muscle imbalance, and postural adaptations may contribute to pain, but psychological and social factors also appear to influence pain experience. These findings support a multidimensional biopsychosocial approach to assessment and management.