Effects of a Physiotherapist-Led School-Based Health Education Workshop on Spinal Pain Prevention in Schoolchildren: A Quasi-Experimental Study.

Background/

Objectives

Spinal pain is common among schoolchildren and is associated with poor postural habits and sedentary behavior. Schools represent an optimal setting for prevention; however, they are also key environments for prevention strategies in children who already experience spinal pain. This study focused on children aged 9-11 years and aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a physiotherapist-led, classroom-based workshop as a prevention intervention to improve spinal pain outcomes.

Methods

A quasi-experimental single-group pre-post intervention study was conducted in public primary schools. The intervention consisted of two 45 min theoretical-practical sessions. A 21-item questionnaire assessed spinal pain, postural habits, backpack-related behaviors, physical activity, screen use and spinal literacy at baseline and three months post-intervention. McNemar and Wilcoxon tests were applied (p < 0.05).

Results

A total of 287 schoolchildren participated. Cervical and thoracic pain decreased significantly (p = 0.036; p = 0.040), while lumbar pain showed no change. Postural habits improved: sitting with back support increased (+12.7%; p < 0.001), sitting on the chair edge decreased (-10.5%; p < 0.001), and side-lying sleeping increased (p = 0.006). Knowledge of proper backpack load distribution also improved (+17.9%; p < 0.001). No significant changes were observed in physical activity, screen use, rising-from-bed technique, or backpack type.

Conclusions

The workshop improved upper-spine pain, spinal literacy and modifiable habits, while automated motor behaviors and family-dependent routines showed limited change.