Aim: To investigate the effects of a lumbar exercise program after single-level lumbar microdiscectomy on the recurrence of lumbar disc diseases.
Material and methods: Between 2018 and 2021, 223 patients (104 women, 119 men, median age: 49 years) who received their first corrective surgery for lumbar disc herniation were included in this retrospective study. Their clinical status was evaluated before surgery, early post-surgery, and 6-months after surgery using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Patients were divided into two groups: group A (n=124) included those who regularly participated in the postoperative physical therapy and rehabilitation program for 6 months; group B (n=99) included those who did not regularly participated or did not participate at all in the physical therapy and rehabilitation program. Their compliance to the 6-month physical therapy program (started at our clinic in the 1st postoperative month) and its relation to recurrent lumbar disc hernia at the same level was evaluated.
Results: In group B, 82 patients showed irregular compliance to the physical therapy program and 17 patients did not participate in the physical therapy program. During the 6-month follow-up period, 27 patients developed recurrent disc hernia at the same level (group A, 9 patients; group B, 18 patients) and they accordingly underwent repeat microdiscectomy surgery.
Conclusion: Compliance with the postoperative physical therapy program after single-level lumbar microdiscectomy is one of the factors that prevented recurrent disc hernia during the early postoperative period.