Results of these studies indicate that school-based spinal health interventions may be effective in increasing spinal care knowledge and decreasing the prevalence of spinal pain .
However , overall the evidence is inconclusive regarding spinal care behaviors .
The poor quality of the review ed studies limits the conclusions that can be made regarding the effectiveness of school-based spinal health interventions
OBJECTIVES To establish the effectiveness of  school-based spinal health interventions  in terms of : 1 ) improving knowledge about the spine/spinal care ; 2 ) changing spinal care behaviors ; and 3 ) decreasing the prevalence of spinal pain .
SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Spinal pain is a significant problem in children and adolescents that has been addressed through school-based spinal health interventions .
No systematic review has been carried out on this topic to date .
The Association of Backpack Use and Back Pain in Adolescents
Study Design . A cross-sectional study comprising the first phase of an ongoing , longitudinal prospect i ve study was conducted . Objective . To investigate the relation between backpack use  and back pain in adolescents . Summary of Background Data . The prevalence of nonspecific back pain increases dramatically during adolescence from less than 10 % in the pre – teen-age years up to 50 % in 15- to 16-year-olds . There is widespread concern that heavy backpacks carried by adolescents contribute to the development of back pain . Methods . A total of 1126 children , ages 12 to 18 years , participated by completing a question  naire about their health , activities , and backpack use . Each child ’s body weight , height , and backpack weight were measured . A child was classified as having back pain if one or more of the following were reported during the preceding month :  neck or back pain that had interfered with school or leisure ,  neck or back pain  with a severity rating of 2 or more on a scale 0 to 10 , a visit to a physician or therapist for neck or back pain , or exemption from physical education or sports because of neck or back pain . Results . Of 1122 backpack users , 74.4 % were classified as having back pain , vali date d by significantly poorer general health , more limited physical functioning , and more bodily pain . As compared with no or low use of backpacks at school , heavy use ( odds ratio , 1.98;P < 0.0001 ) was independently associated with back pain . Female gender and larger body mass index also were significantly associated with back pain . As compared with adolescents who had no back pain , adolescents with back pain carried significantly heavier backpacks that represented a significantly greater percentage of their body weights . Conclusion . The use of backpacks during the school day and backpack weights are independently associated with back pain
Results of these studies indicate that school-based spinal health interventions may be effective in increasing spinal care knowledge and decreasing the prevalence of spinal pain .
However , overall the evidence is inconclusive regarding spinal care behaviors .
The poor quality of the review ed studies limits the conclusions that can be made regarding the effectiveness of school-based spinal health interventions
OBJECTIVES To establish the effectiveness of  school-based spinal health interventions  in terms of : 1 ) improving knowledge about the spine/spinal care ; 2 ) changing spinal care behaviors ; and 3 ) decreasing the prevalence of spinal pain .
SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Spinal pain is a significant problem in children and adolescents that has been addressed through school-based spinal health interventions .
No systematic review has been carried out on this topic to date .