The effect of lumbosacral manipulation on growing pains

Background: Growing pains are a frequent clinical presentation that continues to puzzle practitioners, with very little conclusive evidence in any medical field, including Chiropractic. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine whether lumbosacral manipulations have an effect on growing pain symptoms. Methods: Thirty participants with growing pains between the ages of 4 and 12 years were recruited. The participants were placed into two groups of fifteen participants each. Group one received lumbosacral manipulations to restricted joints as determined by motion palpation, while Group two never received any professional intervention. Often parent(s)/guardian(s) of children who suffer from growing pains will rub the child’s legs and offer verbal reassurance in an attempt to console their children. Parent(s)/guardian(s) of both groups were encouraged to continue to do this throughout the duration of the trial. Instructions were given to the parents so that the same rubbing technique and rubbing cream (aqueous cream) was used. Subjective changes were tracked using a pain diary that the parent(s)/guardian(s) needed to complete, a six week post study follow up question regarding children’s GP’s and Oucher self-report pain scale. Objective measures consisted of pressure algometer readings of the tibialis anterior muscle belly. Results: The statistical data was analyzed using the Friedman test, Mann-Whitney test and the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test. The results demonstrated that both groups responded favorably to their specific treatment over time. However, the group that received lumbosacral manipulations proved to show a quicker response to treatment; and the post-study follow up of this same group had markedly more positive feedback than the other group. These results highlighted the positive effects of Chiropractic manipulation on growing pain symptoms