Adolescent Girls Likely to Develop Neck & Lower Back Pain From Lack of Sleep

Adolescents these days sometimes find it hard to get enough sleep thanks to all of the entertainment opportunities that are available to them. Advances in technologies and access to these devices allows them to spend large quantities of time on them, sometimes cutting into their sleeping time, which then leads to a lack of sleep. Sleeping patterns are frequently disrupted, and adolescents now frequently get less than eight hours of sleep each night.

The quality and quantity of sleep among adolescents has been studied and researchers found that a lack of sleep can be an independent risk factors for neck pain and lower back pain in adolescents, especially girls.  The research was conducted for two years on adolescents between the ages of 15 and 19. Studies focused on the amount of sleep the participants received, the average number of hours they slept, and whether or not these subjects experience nightmares or other sleeping problems in correlation.

The results showed that there was a six-month period of neck pain, shoulder pain, and lower back pain among adolescents who didn’t receive enough sleep. The pain increased once they reached 18 years of age. Both the male and female 16-year-old subjects with a lack of sleep were likely to experience neck pain and lower back pain.  Only the girls has a tendency to experience shoulder back pain as well.

Pain among adolescents can significantly impede physical and social activities essential for their growing years. When adolescents experience pain in their neck, shoulder, or lower back areas, it can prevent them from joining sports or other physical activities in and out of school, result in frequent absences at school, and limit their ability to participate in social activities.

When pain starts to manifest in the body, Physical Therapy NYC can provide the proper treatment for pain relief. These therapies are non-invasive and guaranteed safe, so patients can return to their normal way of life quickly.

Source: European Spine Journal, vol. 19, no. 4 (2010) 641-649

-Dr Sid
Esprit Wellness