Rehabilitation Following Lumbar Disc Surgery

Utah System of Higher Education (USHE)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Radiculopathy; Lumbar Disc Herniation

Treatments: Other: Rehabilitation following lumbar disc surgery (discectomy)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT00894972

32474

Details and patient eligibility

About

The proposed study will be a randomized clinical trial designed to determine the most effective physical therapy program for individuals who have undergone lumbar discectomy surgery. The study will compare two different post-operative physical therapy programs (general strengthening or general + specific strengthening). Both groups will begin treatment 2 weeks post-surgery. Subjects in both groups will receive weekly treatment sessions for 8 weeks with a treatment program emphasizing exercises shown to activate the large trunk muscles without imposing potentially harmful compression or shear forces. The general + specific strengthening group will also receive exercises shown to isolate activation of the deep trunk muscles, in particular the multifidus, with training augmented by the use of diagnostic ultrasound biofeedback. Patient assessments will be conducted pre- and post-surgery, as well as 10 (post-treatment) and 26 weeks after surgery.

Enrollment: 60 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 60 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• 18-60 years old
• Diagnosis of LDH based on imaging (MRI or CT scan) of the lumbar spine with concurring clinical examination findings (based on the judgment of the attending neurosurgeon)
• Appropriate surgical candidate based on the opinion of the attending spine surgeon, and scheduled for single-level lumbar discectomy (open or micro-discectomy).
• Able to attend weekly treatment sessions.

Exclusion criteria

• Prior surgery to the lumbar spine
• Spondylolytic or degenerative spondylolisthesis present on pre-surgical imaging
• Unable to speak and understand English
• Peri- or post-operative complication (infection, nerve injury, dural tear, vascular injury, etc.) that would limit or delay the ability to participate in post-operative rehabilitation.
• Multi-level surgery or the use of instrumentation during surgery (i.e., lumbar fusion)

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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60 participants in 2 patient groups

1

Active Comparator group

Description:

General exercise. Participants in this group will perform aerobic exercise, range of motion exercise and general strengthening exercise.

Treatment:

Other: Rehabilitation following lumbar disc surgery (discectomy)

2

Experimental group

Description:

Specific exercise. Participants in this group will perform aerobic exercise, range of motion exercise, and specific motor control exercises.

Treatment:

Other: Rehabilitation following lumbar disc surgery (discectomy)