The effects of back schools???a meta-analysis

Abstract

Back schools are educational programmes for the prevention and rehabilitation of back pain. A quantitative review (meta-analysis) was performed to synthesize the existing evidence on their effectiveness, for different outcome criteria and time categories. On the basis of a systematic literature research, 18 controlled back school studies with a total of 1682 participants could be included in the meta-analysis. Effect sizes that compared back school patients with patients in a control group were calculated for 14 outcome criteria and four time categories. Effectiveness of back schools was shown for the time period within 6 months of intervention. However, effects for the 14 examined criteria revealed large differences: in contrast to the strong effects on correct back posture and movements and on knowledge of back school contents, the intervention had only small effects on health economic variables (e.g. utilization of the health care system) and no effects on clinical variables (e.g. pain intensity). With regard to the time period following the 6 months after intervention, the analysed data does not strongly support the effectiveness of back schools. It is concluded that the effectiveness of back school intervention depends on the outcome criterion and time of measurement. The results suggest that the concept of back school programmes should be improved and systematically re-evaluated.

Efeitos de sessões educativas no uso das mochilas escolares em estudantes do ensino fundamental I

“…Preventive training programs that combine education and movement have good repercussion as a form of improving posture [9][10][11][12][13][14] . Meta-analyses show evidence of a decrease in chronic low back pain after a training program known as Back School 15,16 . This method was developed by Mariane ZachrissonForsell in 1969 and proposes a group of measures to prevent the relapse of back pain in the working population.…”

Estratégias para ensino de hábitos posturais em crianças: história em quadrinhos versus experiência prática

“…Esse programa é aplicado em três ou quatro encontros, com uma hora de duração, em que os conteúdos de anatomia, fisiologia e biomecânica da coluna, fisiopatologia das dores, orientações ergonômicas e posturais nas atividades ocupacionais e de vida diária, exercícios de alongamento, força e relaxamento muscular são ensinados aos sujeitos que já tiveram crises de dores na coluna vertebral. A eficiência desses programas para a população adulta vem sendo comprovada por estudos de meta-análise 9,10 .…”

Preaching to the converted: Über- und Unterversorgung in der Schmerzprävention am Beispiel bundesdeutscher Rückenschulen

“…der Al ters-und der Ge schlechts re la ti on noch des Ta b ak kon sums und des Ge sundheits zu stands [34]. Auch der Ver gleich mit vor lie gen den Re gio nal da ten spricht an gesichts ähn li cher Wer te für eine aus rei chende Ge ne ra li sier bar keit der Re sul ta te [16]. Zu dem kor res pon die ren un se re Präva lenzwer te auch mit an de ren na tio na len Er hebun gen [6,38].…”