School kids get back pain…and it’s not just from back packs!
The Novelli Wellness Center is here to partner with Buffalo, NY parents whose kids
suffer with back pain or wonder if their kids’ gripe about back pain is
real or not. (It likely is!) Daily exercise might be a tremendous preventative, if you
can keep your kids exercising. The Novelli Wellness Center knows that’s a trick.
First of all, know that back pain in children does need to
be taken seriously. 51% of kids when asked about whether they’ve had back pain
in their lives say yes. (1) Kids as young as 8 years old report back pain. (2) In one study using MRI, up to 25% of back
pain cases in children were found to be due to real spinal changes like tumors,
disc herniations, spondylolisthesis, arthritis, or degenerative discs. (1) So back
pain in children including our own Buffalo, NY kids is a growing
problem.
Secondly, in a study of school boys and girls between 12 and
15 years of age, low back pain occurrence is high. 57% report low back pain. Why?
The researchers found that advancing age, higher body mass index, and remaining
seated at school contribute to the problem. For 80% of the kids with low back
pain, remaining seated is the main activity that triggers back pain symptoms
lasting up to 7 days. (3) How much sitting does your child do during a normal
Buffalo, NY school day?
What can be done? One study points to daily focus on
prevention with exercise and education. Daily! Researchers taught the kids 4
simple, daily exercises to do and “back awareness” to educate them. During the
study, the children reported significantly fewer episodes of and significantly
fewer lifetime first episodes of low back pain. Those who’d had back pain before did tend
to have a back pain episode more than those who’d never had back pain before.
Overall, the study was a success. Regular exercise and education appear to
reduce LBP episodes compared to education alone. However, keeping the kids
doing the exercises was hard. (2) (Sounds like Buffalo, NY adults!) The Novelli Wellness Center
reminds Buffalo, NY chiropractic adult patients to do their exercises
all the time!
So listen if your kids say they have back pain. Bring them
to The Novelli Wellness Center for an exam if the symptoms linger. Try to keep them active.
Encourage them to move around as much as they can during the day at school. If
a teacher lets them stand for break during classtime, encourage them to take
it! Contact The Novelli Wellness Center for specific exercises for your kids at your next
Buffalo, NY chiropractic visit!