NCT00894972

Rehabilitation Following Lumbar Disc Surgery

Examining the Effectiveness of a Post-operative Rehabilitation Program Emphasizing Restoration of Multifidus Muscle Function for Individuals Undergoing Lumbar Discectomy: a Randomized Clinical Trial

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 60 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of Utah · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 60 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

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.

Conditions

• Lumbar Disc Herniation
• Radiculopathy

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Rehabilitation following lumbar disc surgery (discectomy)	Exercise: walking, range of motion, and general trunk strengthening with or without specific trunk muscle motor control exercises.

Timeline

• Start date: 2009-04-01
• Primary completion: 2012-04-01
• Completion: 2012-04-01
• First posted: 2009-05-07
• Last updated: 2012-11-06

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States