We often assume that because teenagers are so young that they don’t experience the same aches and pains as their elders. Many of us may believe that teenagers may only suffer from conditions such as back pain if they recently suffered an injury during their latest soccer game or while they were doing yard work last weekend. However, teenagers can develop back pain for a number of reasons that many people may never consider.
While the percentage of teenagers who suffer from back pain is lower than the rate of back pain in adults, the effects that the pain has on the lives of those teenagers can be just as relevant to their daily life. In fact, over 90 percent of teens who suffer from back state that the pain limits their daily activity in some way. Teenagers are often less likely to verbalize their pain to their parents and therefore it is important for parents to take charge if they pick up on signals that their child may be experiencing back pain.
The pain that teenagers experience shouldn’t be taken lightly as early intervention can help prevent chronic conditions and more severe back pain later in life. Many parents are aware of the potential risks of pain medications and surgery but are also, in many cases, skeptical of conservative treatments such as therapeutic physical conditioning, manual therapy, exercise programs, and proper back education. These parents skepticism can be eased by a literature review which compared the effectiveness of these treatments and found that all of the treatments led to reductions in back pain experienced compared to the control groups. The two most effective treatment options were exercise programs and manual therapy. In addition to reducing pain these two treatments also lead to increases in flexibility and endurance.
Chiropractic care can be just as, if not more, effective for teenagers as it is for adults. Not only can spinal adjustments effectively treat back pain experienced by teenagers, but these adjustments can also have additional benefits for the teens. Chiropractic can ensure that the spine and the central nervous system are functioning as efficiently as possible, thus eliminating growing pains that teenagers can often experience. Chiropractic also helps properly align the spine which promotes proper function and energy use throughout the body, which can speed up the healing process for the inevitable injuries that teenagers endure. Even if your teen is not currently experiencing any back pain, regular chiropractic visits are a good method to prevent pain from developing in the future.
If you have a teenager who has been suffering from back pain or you just want to give them an early start on healthy living, Advanced Chiropractic & Rehab may be able to help. Give us a call at (330) 726-7404 to set up a consultation and we’ll see what we can do to help you improve your daily quality of life. We have been servicing the Youngstown and Mahoning Valley area since 2001 with convenient locations in Boardman, Hubbard, and Kinsman. At Advanced Chiropractic & Rehab we are a multi-disciplinary rehabilitation group that treats work comp injuries, whiplash, sports injuries and specializes in much more than just lower back pain.