BACKGROUND: Preventive interventions improve healthy behaviour and they also increase knowledge regarding back care in children and adolescents, but studies exhibit great variability in their contents, duration and number of sessions, and in the assessment methods. The purpose of this study was to review the empirical evidence regarding preventive physiotherapy interventions for back care in children and adolescents and to ascertain the most efficacious treatments. METHODS: Studies were located from computerized databases (Cochrane Library, Medline, PEDro, Web of Science and ME) and other sources. To be included in the meta-analysis, studies had to use physical therapy methodologies of preventive treatment on children and adolescents and to compare a treatment group with a control group. Treatment participant, methodological, and extrinsic characteristics of the studies were coded. Two researchers independently coded all of the studies. As effect size indices, standardized mean differences were calculated for measures of behaviours and knowledge. RESULTS: A total of 19 papers fulfilled the selection criteria. On average, the treatments reached a statistically significant effectiveness in the behaviour acquired, both in the posttest and in the follow-up, as well as in measures of knowledge. CONCLUSIONS: The interventions were successful in significantly improving healthy behaviour and knowledge. The combined treatment of postural hygiene with physiotherapy exercise exhibited the best results.

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