Young Athlete With Back Pain

Back on the Court, Pain Free

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A thirteen year old tennis player with a bright future began experiencing persistent low back pain which stopped training sessions and left parents deeply concerned. Could this pain derail progress and limit the ability to compete?

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From the very first visit it was clear the pain was not only about the back. A detailed functional movement assessment revealed several underlying issues working together to create stress on the spine.

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Finding the Root of the Problem

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We started from the ground up. There was obvious weakness in the medial arches of both feet, leading to severe pronation. This changed the way weight was loaded in an

athletic stance, creating a chain reaction of problems.

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We also found:

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• Abnormal lumbopelvic mechanics causing too much motion in the left sacroiliac joint
• Core instability making it difficult to maintain proper pelvic alignment
• Asymmetrical lower body movement patterns disrupting balance and control
• A mild left thoracic spine curvature with decreased scapular rhythm affecting swings, especially backhands and overhead shots

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The pain was in the back, but the real cause was a combination of foot mechanics, pelvic stability, and upper body coordination.

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Restoring Stability from the Ground Up

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The first step was improving pelvic stability. We used joint mobilization, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, assisted stretching, and fascial stretch protocols to improve hip range of motion and lower body flexibility while training proper core muscle activation.

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For the feet we focused on immediate support. Kinesiology taping provided instant stability during activity, and the family learned how to tape the feet to maintain support during training and at home.

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Progressing to Sports Specific Movement

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As pelvic stability improved, we shifted to tennis specific movement patterns, teaching how to:

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• Promote proper thoracic rotation while keeping pelvic alignment stable
• Disassociate the rib cage from the pelvis for powerful and safe tennis swings
• Strengthen the core for dynamic movement and quick transitions on the court

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We also refined lower body mechanics through deep knee bends, lunges, and high steps while adding scapular thoracic rhythm exercises to improve overhead reach, backhand, and forehand swings.

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Back on the Court, Stronger Than Ever

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Within four weeks movement patterns improved dramatically. Proper stability and mechanics returned, the pain disappeared, and full speed competition became possible again. A week long tennis camp with four to six hours of play each day was completed without pain, and the first tournament back ended with a doubles championship.

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Why This Story Matters

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This journey is a powerful reminder care should always be individualized and focused on how each person moves, where their weak links are, and how to restore balance. Even at thirteen years old, education and intentional movement retraining made all the difference.

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When you restore underlying movement patterns, build core stability, and teach the athlete how to manage output, the results speak for themselves. Pain free, confident, and able to pursue the sport they love without fear of the body holding them back, this is what the right plan makes possible.

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