Can adolescent growth cause disc degeneration? | #485

21 Apr 2025 · 17 min
16:48

This YouTube episode (The Evidence Based Chiropractor, #485) features Dr. Jeff Langmaid reviewing a longitudinal MRI study — "Crecimiento corporal en el disco intervertebral. Un estudio longitudinal de resonancia magnética en adolescentes sanos" — published in the journal Spine. The study followed ~60 healthy children aged 11–18, collected height, sitting height, weight, BMI and body surface area (BSA), and graded lumbar disc degeneration by the Pfirrmann system (grade ≥3 counted as degenerated). Participants were stratified into three growth categories based on % increase in BSA between ages 11 and 18; the highest-growth group (≥43% increase in BSA) had 76% with at least one degenerated disc at age 18 versus 10% in the lowest-growth group. The presenter highlights that early disc degeneration may be asymptomatic but can predict mid-adult low back pain, and he outlines clinical responses: monitor growth with measurements, educate families, promote healthy weight, movement variability, trunk strength, multi-sport activity, and targeted screening/programs in clinics/schools.

Questions this video answers

11–18 years

About 60 healthy children

Lumbar MRI graded by the Pfirrmann system (Pfirrmann grade ≥3 counted as degenerated).

Highest-growth group: ≥43% increase in BSA between ages 11 and 18.

76%

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