title: Intensive, progressive exercise improves quality of life following lumbar microdiskectomy: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the study was to examine changes in quality of life measures in patients who have undergone an intensive exercise program following a single level microdiskectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized controlled trial with blinded examiners.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted in outpatient physical therapy clinics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-eight participants (53 male, 45 female) who had undergone a single-level lumbar microdiskectomy allocated to receive exercise and education or education only.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 12-week periodized exercise program of lumbar extensor strength and endurance training, and mat and upright therapeutic exercises was administered.
  
  
  METHODS
  Quality of life was tested with the Short Form 36 (SF-36). Measurements were taken 4-6 weeks postsurgery and following completion of the 12-week intervention program. Since some participants selected physical therapy apart from the study, analyses were performed for both an as-randomized (two-group) design and an as-treated (three-group) design.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the two-group analyses, exercise and education resulted in a greater increase in SF-36 scales, role physical (17.8 vs. 12.1) and bodily pain (13.4 vs. 8.4), and the physical component summary (13.2 vs. 8.9). In the three-group analyses, post-hoc comparisons showed exercise and education resulted in a greater increase in the SF-36 scales, physical function (10.4 vs. 5.6) and bodily pain (13.7 vs. 8.2), and the physical component summary (13.7 vs. 8.9) when compared with usual physical therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An intensive, progressive exercise program combined with education increases quality of life in patients who have recently undergone lumbar microdiskectomy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, CA, USA gbeneck@csulb.edu.
authors.forename: George J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Beneck
authors.affiliation: Center for Orthopedic Research, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Popovich
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy Education, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA, USA.
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Selkowitz
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Stan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Azen
authors.affiliation: Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Kornelia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kulig
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D017586:Diskectomy / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000534:rehabilitation; D010045:Outpatients; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life
keywords: SF-36; intensive exercise; lumbar microdiskectomy