Low back pain is one of the main reasons for the use of health care, and is a common health problem in children and adolescents. Several authors have shown that having low back pain in childhood increases the risk for adult. The aim of the present study is to review the empirical evidence regarding physiotherapy treatments for low back pain in children and adolescents, assess their effectiveness, and to analyze the methodological quality of the papers. Experimental studies were consulted in the electronic databases Cochrane, ISI Web of Knowledge, Medline, PEDro and LILACS; specialized electronic journals and other procedures. 8 articles were included in the systematic review, which resulted in 16 independent studies (11 treatment groups and 5 control groups). The 8 articles selected include treatments with back education, exercise, manual therapy and therapeutic physical conditioning. Treatment with exercise is the most frequently used by authors. We conclude that physiotherapy treatments are effective for low back pain in children and adolescents. Finally, the quality of future studies should be improved through more effective masking procedures, use of control groups and analysis of reliability of assessment instruments.

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A brief summary and a critical assessment of this review may be available at DARE