NCT07313566

R³ Rehab Pathway Versus Usual Care After Lumbar Radicular Surgery

An Evidence-based Rehabilitation Pathway for Patients Undergoing Surgery for Lumbar Radicular Pain to Promote Return to Work: a Cluster Randomized Trial Comparison With Usual Care.

• Status: Not Yet Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 480 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The R³ trial is a multicentre cluster randomized controlled trial evaluating an evidence-based, person-centred rehabilitation pathway for patients undergoing lumbar surgery for radicular pain. The pathway includes structured pre-, peri-, and postoperative rehabilitation, early postoperative mobilization, case management, early return-to-work (RTW) guidance, and patient empowerment. Clusters (hospitals) are randomized to implement the R³ pathway (intervention) or continue usual care (control). The primary aim is to determine whether the R³ pathway reduces time to return to work compared with usual care.

Conditions

• Lumbar Radiculopathy
• Radicular Low Back Pain

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	R³ Rehabilitation Pathway	A structured evidence-based rehabilitation pathway, guided by a case manager, starting preoperatively to 1 year postoperatively, including prehabilitation, perioperative rehabilitation and postoperative rehabilitation, with emphasis on fear reduction by keeping activity restrictions minimal and relevant, eliminating bracing and on active guidance to work resumption.

Timeline

• Start date: 2026-02-01
• Primary completion: 2028-05-01
• Completion: 2028-05-01
• First posted: 2026-01-02
• Last updated: 2026-01-08

Locations

16 sites across 1 country: Belgium