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Long-term effectiveness of a back education programme in elementary schoolchildren: an 8-year follow-up study

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the long-term effectiveness of a spine care education programme conducted in 9- to 11-year-old schoolchildren. The study sample included 96 intervention subjects and 98 controls (9- to 11-year-olds at baseline). Intervention consisted of a 6-week school-based back education programme (predominantly biomechanically oriented) and was implemented by a physical therapist. Self-reported outcomes on back care knowledge, spinal care behaviour, self-efficacy towards favourable back care behaviour, prevalence of back and neck pain during the week and fear-avoidance beliefs were evaluated by the use of questionnaires. Post-tests were performed within 1 week after programme completion, after 1 year and after 8 years. Whereas the educational back care programme resulted in increased back care knowledge up to adulthood (P < 0.001), intervention did not change spinal care behaviour or self-efficacy. Pain prevalence figures increased less in the experimental group compared to the controls over the 8-year time span, yet statistical significance was not reached. Dropout analysis revealed spinal pain prevalence rates to be different in both groups throughout the study, including at baseline. Back education at young age did not reinforce fear-avoidance beliefs up to adulthood. Predominantly biomechanical oriented back education in elementary schoolchildren is effective in improving the cognitive aspect of back care up to adulthood, yet not in changing actual behaviour or self-efficacy. The current study does not provide evidence that educational back care programmes have any impact on spinal pain in adulthood. The true long-term impact of school-based spinal health interventions on clinically relevant outcome measures merits further attention.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Elisa Everaert and Veerle Steeman for data collection, and to all the principals, teachers and participants for their cooperation in this study. No funds were received in support of this study. No benefits in any form have been or will be received from a commercial party related directly or indirectly to the subject of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Ghent University, Campus Heymans (3B3), De Pintelaan 185, 9000, Ghent, Belgium

    Mieke Dolphens, Barbara Cagnie & Lieven Danneels

  2. Department of Movement and Sport Sciences, Ghent University, Watersportlaan 2, 9000, Ghent, Belgium

    Dirk De Clercq, Ilse De Bourdeaudhuij & Greet Cardon

Authors
  1. Mieke Dolphens
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  2. Barbara Cagnie
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  3. Lieven Danneels
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  4. Dirk De Clercq
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  5. Ilse De Bourdeaudhuij
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  6. Greet Cardon
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Correspondence to Mieke Dolphens.

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The submitted manuscript does not contain information about medical device(s)/drug(s).

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Dolphens, M., Cagnie, B., Danneels, L. et al. Long-term effectiveness of a back education programme in elementary schoolchildren: an 8-year follow-up study. Eur Spine J 20, 2134–2142 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-011-1856-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-011-1856-9

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