School kids get back pain…and it’s not just from back packs! Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC is here to ally with La Grande parents whose kids endure with back pain or speculate 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. Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC 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 La Grande 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 La Grande 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 La Grande adults!) Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC reminds La Grande chiropractic adult patients to do their exercises all the time!

So listen if your kids say they have back pain. Bring them to Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC 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 Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC for specific exercises for your kids at your next La Grande chiropractic visit!