If we know anything about teenagers, it’s that they’re busy.
There’s school, sports, socialising, and maybe a part-time job. They have a lot on their plates.
It might be hard to remind them to prioritise their health amongst all of that, but looking after their health is oh so important.
The teen years mark a pivotal stage in development, with significant biological, physical and cognitive changes.
As a parent, you’ve already laid the groundwork for living a healthy lifestyle. You’ve taught them about nutritious food, getting enough sleep and being active. Now could be the perfect time to support your teens’ physical health with physiotherapy.
At The Brisbane Spine Clinic, we provide pediatric physiotherapy services. Pediatric physio involves working with children from new babies, through childhood and to 18 years of age. We believe investing in good health and well-being in the younger years sets our children up for good health in adulthood.
Here we explain how physiotherapy could benefit your teenager.
Improved posture and alignment
It’s no secret that teens often spend long hours in front of their computer screens or hunched over their phones. This can contribute to poor posture and alignment.
Poor posture not only causes aches, pains, discomfort, and restriction to movement but can also put stress on your teens’ whole system. This may hinder their brains’ ability to concentrate, think and problem-solve and possibly negatively affect confidence and self-esteem.
Physiotherapy in the teenage years can help to improve posture and alignment early, before there are long-term implications on the body. Physio for posture and alignment involves providing exercises and techniques to strengthen the muscles that support good posture.
Increased strength and flexibility
Is your budding athlete keen to maximise their performance on the sports field?
Regular physiotherapy can help teenagers increase their strength and flexibility, support their full range of motion and improve balance and coordination. This could boost their performance in sports and other physical activities as well as help prevent muscle strains and injuries.
Plus, as an added bonus, increased strength and flexibility can help to improve your teens’ posture and alignment as well.
Injury prevention
While physiotherapy is great for rehabilitating after an injury (more on that soon), physiotherapy may also help your teen avoid some injuries in the first place.
By working with a physiotherapist, teenagers can learn to prevent some common injuries that occur during sports, dancing and physical activity. Pediatric physio for injury prevention aims to improve overall body function and range of motion. Your physio may also educate your child on how to properly warm up and cool down as well as help to strengthen and stabilise muscles and joints.
Though it’s impossible to completely prevent injury, physiotherapists work with your teen to reduce their risk so they can continue doing what they love, without the interruption of injury.
Rehabilitation after injury
If your teenager does suffer an injury, physiotherapy can help them to rehabilitate and may even speed up recovery.
Whether it’s a sprained ankle, a ruptured tendon or a dislocated joint, physiotherapy can provide support.
Remember, teens are often stubborn creatures. Don’t let them ‘brush off’ or ‘tough out’ their injury rather than seek treatment. Injuries to muscles, tendons, bones, ligaments, and joints can develop into more serious complications in later life if left untreated. This is why sporting injuries must be assessed and treated promptly.
Pain management
Does your teen live with pain? Perhaps back pain from scoliosis or lingering ankle pain from that bone they broke playing footy last year?
Physiotherapy may help with pain management.
Pediatric physio aims to help your teens manage their pain to support them in doing the things they love, without as much discomfort. Physiotherapists use a range of techniques to help teens manage pain, including manual therapy, exercise, massage, dry needling and heat therapy.
Increased confidence and self-esteem
By improving their physical abilities through physiotherapy, physically active teens may feel more confident and positive about their bodies and capabilities. Teenagers who feel confident and comfortable in their bodies may be more likely to participate in activities and try new things fostering social connections and a more positive outlook overall.
Improved overall health
For example, musculoskeletal conditions left untreated in younger life can develop into significant health issues down the track, which may cause pain, affect function and mobility and may even negatively affect emotional well-being.
This is why physiotherapists’ physiotherapy in the teen years may support improved overall health into the future. Physiotherapists work with your teenagers to improve their overall health by treating existing issues and promoting good habits, paying particular attention to supporting a physically active lifestyle.
According to the Australian Physiotherapy Association, physically active kids do better in school, thanks to improved memory and thinking skills. Plus, they’re more social and less prone to depression and anxiety.
Investing in your teenager’s physical health now can set them up for greater overall health in the future.
Pediatric Physio at The Brisbane Spine Clinic
Our physiotherapists are highly experienced in providing physio care to teens.
Give us a call today to book an appointment for your teenager at the Brisbane spine clinic.
References
Australian Physiotherapy Association. (2021). Back to school: The perfect time to start kids on the right foot. https://australian.physio/media/back-school-perfect-time-start-kids-right-foot
Be You. (2023). Adolescent Development. beyou.edu.au/fact-sheets/development/adolescent-development
Davies, C., & McCarty, C. A. (2019). Promoting Active Living in Young People Through Behaviour Change. Physiopedia. https://www.physiopedia.com/Promoting_Active_Living_in_Young_People_Through_Behaviour_Change.
Harrison, A. J., & Wilson, C. J. (2020). Adolescent patellofemoral pain. www.physio-pedia.com/Adolescent_Patellofemoral_Pain.
Physiopedia. (2022). Adolescent Back Pain. www.physio-pedia.com/Adolescent_Back_Pain.
Physiopedia. (2022). Mental Health and the Young Athlete. www.physiopedia.com/Mental_Health_and_the_Young_Athlete
Physiopedia. (2021). The Role of the Sports Physiotherapist. www.physio-pedia.com/The_Role_of_the_Sports_Physiotherapist