Back posture education in elementary schoolchildren: a 2-year follow-up study

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Health
• Public Health
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Primary prevention of back dysfunction in children is crucial.
• Adolescence presents unique mechanical and psychological challenges impacting back health.
• Evaluating intervention effect stability during this transition is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the 2-year follow-up effects of a back education program on children's back posture knowledge, fear-avoidance beliefs, and self-reported pain.
• To determine the integration of postural behaviors into adolescents' lifestyles.

Main Methods:

• A 2-year back posture program involving education and postural dynamism stimulation was implemented in elementary schools.
• A sample of 94 intervention and 101 control schoolchildren (aged 13-14 at follow-up) completed questionnaires.
• Data collection occurred at pretest, posttest, and 2-year follow-up.

Main Results:

• The back education program demonstrated stable improvements in general and specific back posture knowledge at 2-year follow-up.
• No significant increase in fear-avoidance beliefs or back/neck pain reports was observed.
• Participants integrated biomechanically favorable sitting and lifting principles into their lifestyles.

Conclusions:

• Intensive, school-based back posture education is effective in maintaining positive effects into adolescence.
• The program successfully promoted lasting adoption of healthy postural behaviors.
• Further research is needed on long-term impacts on lifestyle and future back pain prevalence.