• Question: If you have back problems is it likely that your kids have it as well ?

    Asked by Elicabanas to Tom, Paul, Natasha, Ester, Eoin on 15 Nov 2017.
    • Photo: Natasha Myhill

      Natasha Myhill answered on 15 Nov 2017:

      I think it depends on the back problem. Some types of lower back problem, like lumbar disc degeneration (LDD) can be inherited – it was only in 2012 that they discovered the gene that is linked to this, so maybe more types of back problem can be inherited, we just dont know about them yet!

    • Photo: Eoin McKinney

      Eoin McKinney answered on 15 Nov 2017:

      The vast majority of back pain isn’t inherited but some types can be. They are almost all rare so it is extremely unlikely that a genetic cause will pass back pain on from parents to children. Some types that are include inflammatory conditions like certain types of arthritis). One called ankylosing spondylitis has a strong genetic component.

    • Photo: Ester Gil Vazquez

      Ester Gil Vazquez answered on 17 Nov 2017:

      In my opinion, genetics are involved in almost everything: I am sure there are tons of factors that predispose to back pain, and to almost every other condition. However, in most of the cases this factors are not determinant (that you are more likely to have back pain doesn’t mean that you will actually suffer from it- it’s just that you have better chances than the rest). As they said, there are only a few types of “back pain” in which genetics play a big role.

Comments