Effects of the Strengthening Exercise on Back Muscles after Lumbar Discectomy

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. C o n c l u s i o n s : 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.