Problems found on x-rays in children and adolescents increase their risk of developing low back pain when they are adults!

A study was done on adolescents to determine if abnormalities found on x-rays could lead to increased incidence of low back pain when they became adults.

X-rays were taken on 640 adolescents and then they were followed for 25 years, from age 14 to age 29. The conclusions were as follows:

· 36% of the adolescents had abnormalities on their x-rays.

· The adolescents with abnormal x-rays experienced a much higher incidence of low back pain as adults.

· Adolescents who experienced low back pain during the growth period also experienced a higher incidence of back pain as adults.

· Of the 640 people studied, 84% developed low back pain at some time during the 25 year study.

Get your child's spine checked today!!

Are radiographic changes in the thoracic and lumbar spine of adolescent's risk factors for low back pain in adults. A 25-year prospective cohort study of 640 school children. Harreby M, Neergaard K, Hesselsoe G, Kjer J. Spine 1995 (Nov 1); 20 (21): 2298-2302.