When watching children in every day play and activities it is obvious and noticeable that they are more active than most adults. It may seem inconceivable that they are subject to the same injuries and maladies as adults. This appears especially so in the case of lower back pain. However, a recent research study investigated lower back pain prevalence among children and found spinal pain to be a common condition. This article will describe low back pain disorders of children and adolescents and a potential solution.

Children and adolescents tend to be very active. When one observes children, especially those in the juvenile age group, they always seem to be in motion. When of their own volition, they seem never to be sitting still, standing or even walking. They are almost always running, skipping, hopping and jumping. Constant movement appears to be their default setting. One would presume that vigorous physical movement makes them happy, joyous and brings them their greatest pleasure.

Because of this exuberance it is hard to believe that children and adolescents could be potential candidates to develop lower back pain. Yet, a research study published BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, March 2017 found that spinal back pain is common among adolescents and children. The study monitored schoolchildren ages 8 to 15 for three years. It found 55% experienced one or more episodes of spine pain during that time. Though most children had only a few short-lasting episodes of spinal pain, more than one out of five children had three or more episodes during each study year, and 17% of all episodes lasted for more than a month. This led the investigators to note that spinal pain is a substantial problem among children.

To be sure most lower back pain episodes in children are short-lived and on an occasional basis only. But a number of juveniles and adolescents are known to have reoccurring and chronic conditions of pain in the back. Unfortunately, children with lower back pain tend to become adults with back pain. Chronic lower back musculoskeletal pain in adults is a significant problem in the United States. These individuals tend to require more healthcare and more healthcare monetary expenditures. They tend to suffer more disability which creates a burden to family and institutional caregivers. They may not be able to hold employment and therefore require government disability coverage in payments.

It is to everyone’s advantage to try to prevent or minimize our population from having chronic lower back pain. One way this can be accomplished is through chiropractic care for children. Chiropractors are trained to evaluate and treat children with musculoskeletal pain. The care that a doctor of chiropractic provides is safe, nonsurgical, drug-free and cost-effective.

The chiropractic profession has been helping people of all ages who suffer from musculoskeletal disorders like pain of the back for over 122 years. That certainly qualifies as a track record of success!