THE DEGENERATIVE CHILD

We previously wrote a blog about the importance of chiropractic care for children, from newborns to adolescence. With the trauma of childbirth or as a child develops, a young spine is susceptible to stresses leading to subluxation.

Children Can Experience Spinal Problems

A recent study not only proves that a young spine can be susceptible to subluxation, but also revealed that a young spine is  even susceptible to degeneration as a child. A Scottish medical doctor performed MRI studies on the spines of 154 ten-year old kids. His purpose was to assess correlating factors that cause stenosis (narrowing) of the spinal canal. However, upon researching the MRI studies, he found that 14 of the 159 children (9%) already had signs of spinal degeneration. This was happening even in the absence of pain. 

Let’s reiterate that: 9% of ten-year-olds already showed signs of spinal degeneration without pain. There’s a common misconception that degeneration (arthritis) is only something to worry about in our senior years, but now we’re seeing the beginning signs as young as ten-years-old. We previously wrote a blog about a study in 2015 that showed 37% of 20 year-olds also showed signs of degeneration without pain. If you thought 20-years old was too young to show signs of spinal degeneration, now we have evidence it exists even earlier. 

The Importance of Pediatric Chiropractic Care

This points to the very importance of chiropractic care at such an early age, right after the moment of birth. Spinal degeneration happens as a result of vertebral fixation, which is a huge component of a subluxation. As long as a spinal vertebrae is fixated in an abnormal position, that spinal segment is now susceptible to degenerative change. The longer the fixation exists, the worse the degeneration becomes. All of this happens without a symptom or sign, such as pain. Consequently, the damages of spinal degeneration will act as a huge interference of the nervous system and all its functions. Even learning this as an adult, it’s always best to check if you’re at risk for spinal degeneration. It may exist in your spine without a sign.

The good news is chiropractic care is not only good for postural correction and improving movement, but can play a huge role in preventing the progression of spinal degeneration. For more information about the benefits of chiropractic care, do not hesitate to contact your Mississauga chiropractors at (905)821-4951.

Research references:

1) December 2003 research performed in Aberdeen, Scotland by Dr. Francis Smith and reported at the 89th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America

2) American Journal of Neuroradiology 2015 Apr;36(4):811-6.

3) Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. 2004 Mar-Apr;27(3):141-54.