A major contributor to kids’ back pain is the backpacks they use to tote their stuff, researchers in a new study said. Those who used one strap to carry their packs reported significantly more back pain than did those who used both straps. Those who used rolling backpacks reported back pain the most often. It wasn’t clear whether pain prompted their use of the rolling packs or whether the rolling packs contributed to their pain.

Participation in competitive sports was strongly linked to back pain, with junior varsity and varsity athletes experiencing it more often than younger or recreational players. Most survey participants were active, with basketball the most commonly played sport, followed by dance, baseball, football and soccer.

Kids don’t have to suffer back pain while playing competitive sports—they can do what most professional athletes do. Experts estimate that about 90 percent of all world-class athletes use chiropractic care to prevent injuries and increase their performance potential, according to the American Chiropractic Association. There’s a chiropractor on every NFL team as well as on many other professional sports teams.

Most professional athletes travel with chiropractors to get chiropractic care on short notice—athletes like soccer legend Cristiano Ronaldo, who has a list of injuries that would make any doctor cringe. Then there’s Michael Phelps, a swimmer who has won more Gold Medals in the Olympics than any other athlete. And who can forget Evander Holyfield? The boxing legend would not even set foot in the ring without a chiropractic adjustment.

What these athletes have in common, besides chiropractic care, is that they represent the best of the best in their respective sports.

Presented as a service to the community by: Union County Chiropractic Clinic, 110 Skyline Drive, Maynardville, TN (865) 992-7000 www.unioncountychiropractic.com.