Manual Therapy for Teens with Back Pain

Back pain is a common complaint in teenagers, and 94% of teens with low-back pain say their symptoms limit their daily activities. Having back pain in adolescence also increases your risk of suffering from chronic symptoms as an adult, making it all the more important to seek early treatment.

However many parents worry about the potential risks associated with medication and surgery for treating their teen, and wonder whether conservative treatments can help. Recent research suggests that exercise and chiropractic care are effective for naturally relieving back pain in teenagers.

A literature review compared the efficacy of back education, exercise, therapeutic physical conditioning, and manual therapy in 221 teens with back pain. They discovered that exercise and manual therapies led to the biggest improvements in pain, disability, flexibility, endurance, and mental health.

Previous studies have also demonstrated that chiropractic adjustments can safely and effectively ease back pain in kids.

Reference

Calvo-Muñoz et al. Physical therapy treatments for low back pain in children and adolescents: a meta-analysis. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 2013; 14 (55):1-11.