The prevalence of Back Pain in college student populations is at an alarming rate of 42% and in many cases followed by a number of psychosocial conditions such as feeling overwhelmed, sad and , exhausted. Between 80-90% of the general population will experience back pain sometime in there lifetime but for such a young age bracket of 15-23 to have trouble at a rate of 42% suggests something needs to be done.
Bedding should be examined first as we should expect 8-10 hours of sleep each day. I would suggest avoid a mattress that is to soft and be careful of pillow tops as they collapse early in there lifetime. A mattress that is to firm is also an irritant to the hips and shoulders and makes sleep restless.
Second on the list is the Backpack, a good one with proper shoulder padding and at the same time carrying a lighter load is the answer.
Water intake is overlooked but very important to flushing waste and toxins as well as proper joint lubication. Drink at a minimum 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water per day. Sleep 8-10 hours per day.
Finally and I believe the number one problem producing Back and Neck Pain for students is both poor posture while sitting and prolonged static positioning. In our clinic we retrain for improved posture and teach just how poor posture deteriorates the strength and stability you should get from a properly maintained spine. We teach our patients light stretches to do several times a day to help combat poorly designed furniture and classroom seating.
Any ongoing or recurring neck or back pain, headaches or joint pain should not be ignored and a visit to the Chiropractor is a logical step.
Yours in Heath,
Dr James Fox