title: Early individualised manipulative rehabilitation following lumbar open laser microdiscectomy improves early post-operative functional disability: A randomized, controlled pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lumbar open laser microdiscectomy has been shown to be an effective intervention and safe approach for lumbar disc prolapse. However early post-operative physical disability affecting daily activities have been sporadically reported.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the feasibility of using early individualised manipulative rehabilitation to improve early post-operative functional disability following lumbar discectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomised controlled pilot trial. Setting at a major metropolitan spine surgery hospital. Twenty-one patients aged 25-69 years who underwent lumbar microdiscectomy were randomised to either the manipulative rehabilitation treatment group or the active control group. Rehabilitation was initiated 2-3 weeks after surgery, twice a week for 4 weeks. Each session was for 30 minutes. Primary outcomes were the Roland-Morris disability questionnaire and the visual analogue pain scale. Outcome measures were assessed at baseline and post-intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Early post-operative physical disability was improved with a 55% reduction by early individualised manipulative rehabilitation, compared to that of control care with a 5% increase. Early post-operative residual leg pain decreased with rehabilitation (55%) and control care (9%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This pilot study supports the feasibility of a future definitive randomised control trial and indicates this type of rehabilitation may be an important option for post-operative management after spinal surgery.
authors: Department of Health Science, Graduate School of Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Byungho J
authors: BJ
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Health Science, Graduate School of Korea University, Seoul, Korea.|Department of Spinal Surgery, Seoul Chuck Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Junghoon
authors: J
authors: Ahn
authors: Department of Spinal Surgery, Seoul Chuck Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Heecheol
authors: H
authors: Cho
authors: Department of Spinal Surgery, Seoul Chuck Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Dongyun
authors: D
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Health Science, Graduate School of Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Taeyeong
authors: T
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Health Science, Graduate School of Korea University, Seoul, Korea.|Department of Physical Therapy, Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Bumchul
authors: B
authors: Yoon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017586:Diskectomy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000601:surgery*; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D020393:Manipulation, Spinal; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011182:Postoperative Care; D064232:Visual Analog Scale
keywords: Lumbar disc surgery; early post-operative disability; early post-operative residual pain; manipulative treatment; micro-discectomy; rehabilitation