Back ache seems to plague the young much more than it did their parents at the same age, a survey has shown. This is thought to be due to extended working hours, lack of physical exercise, improper posture, and walking on concrete rather than the natural terrain, all of which is bad for the back and knee in the long run.
Teenagers are seen to be suffering creaking knees and hunch backs, which are thought to be the ailments of the elderly. Nearly 63% of teenagers complain of pain in their knees Vis a Vis 3% of 55-year olds who complained of such a problem in their youth. One third of youngsters suffering back problems resorted to pain killers for relief.
This unhealthy development among the youngsters of today is attributed to wearing high heeled footwear, long hours in front of the computer or play station, improper posture compounded by a sedentary lifestyle.
Women under 25 experienced a greater risk of back ache, as one out of 10 wore high heels at least 3 times a week. They also walked with hunched shoulders on concrete pavements, adding to the back problem, the survey revealed.
General practitioners tended to prescribe painkillers to about two thirds of the people who approached them with back problems, according to a survey of 2000 adults. Only 3% were asked to exercise as a way to ward off back problems, the survey showed.
Nearly 5 million working days are lost due to back problems which is a drain on the economy.