Effects of the Strengthening Exercise on Back Muscles after Lumbar Discectomy / 대한척추외과학회지

ABSTRACT

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study about lumbar strengthening exercise after lumbar discectomy. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of lumbar strengthening exercise on muscle power and pain, to analyze the problem of rehabilitation program after lumbar discectomy. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW The effectiveness of Lumbar strengthening exercise is still controversy and we can not found the similar article for this kind problem. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three-hundred twenty eight patients of microscopic lumbar discectomy from 1998 to 1999, were divided into 2 groups; exercise group was 72 cases among 119 patients, and non-exercise group was 58 cases among 208 patients. degree of pain and functional activity were evaluated by visual analog scale and API test, respectively, at postoperative 3 months, 6 months, 1 year. the reason for not exercising was surveyed in non-exercise group. RESULTS: Exercise group 119 patients(36%). The most common cause of Non-Exercise was a deficiency of importance for lumbar strengthening exercise and exercise was done better in civil peoples than inrural peoples. There was a significant good result in exercise group by visual analog scale for pain at 3 months and 6 months postoperatively, but no difference between two groups after 1 year. exercise group had better results in flexion/extension test and fatigue endurance test. Lumbar strengthening exercise was a good method for relieving the pain in short term, but it was not effective in long term follow up. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that good results after lumbar discectomy in exercise group result from the secondary effects of increasing muscle power rather than relieving pain.