In 2009, a preliminary study conducted by R. J. Newsome and colleagues, the potential benefits of initiating exercise immediately following lumbar microdiscectomy surgery were investigated. The objective was to assess whether this early exercise regimen could lead to quicker independent mobility for patients without increasing the risk of complications.

The study, a randomized, single-blind, controlled trial, took place at a secondary care teaching hospital in the UK and involved thirty participants. Follow-up rates stood at 93% at 4 weeks and 77% at 3 months post-surgery.

Participants were randomly assigned to either commence exercises within 2 hours after surgery (intervention group) or on the first postoperative day (control group).

Primary outcome measures included the time taken for patients to achieve independent mobility and meet discharge criteria post-surgery. Secondary outcomes included pre-surgery disability and pain scores, as well as scores at 4 weeks and 3 months post-surgery, and return-to-work rates.

Results revealed that the intervention group, which began exercises immediately after surgery, experienced significantly reduced time to independent mobility compared to the control group (median 7 vs. 19 hours, respectively). Additionally, the intervention group demonstrated a faster return to work (median 6 vs. 8 weeks) with no significant differences in disability and pain scores observed at the 4-week and 3-month follow-ups.

At the 15-hour mark post-surgery, 80% of the intervention group had achieved independent mobility, compared to only 40% in the control group.

In conclusion, the findings suggest that initiating exercises immediately following lumbar microdiscectomy may facilitate quicker independent mobility and earlier return to work for patients, potentially leading to earlier discharge and associated cost benefits to healthcare systems. Moreover, the study did not find an increased risk of revision surgery associated with this approach. These preliminary results warrant further investigation in larger, more comprehensive studies to validate these findings.

Reference: Newsome, R. J., May, S., Chiverton, N., & Cole, A. A. (2009). A prospective, randomised trial of immediate exercise following lumbar microdiscectomy: a preliminary study. Physiotherapy, 95(4), 273-279.