International journal of rehabilitation research. Internationale Zeitschrift für Rehabilitationsforschung. Revue internationale de recherches de réadaptation
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Rehabilitation after surgery for lumbar disc herniation: results of a randomized clinical trial.
The aim of this prospective study was to examine the one-year postoperative results in patients operated on for lumbar disc herniation randomized in two groups: one with comprehensive rehabilitation and the other taken care of by normal care facilities. A total of 212 patients without any previous spinal operations comprised the final study group. The physiatrist, the surgeon, the social worker, and the psychologist performed the handicap evaluation according to the occupation handicap scales of the WHO. ⋯ More than half (57%) of all the patients returned to work within two months of the operation. The amount of sick leaves did not differ significantly between the intervention and normal care groups. A total of 15 persons (7%) retired during the postoperative year.