Effects of a five-week intensive and multidisciplinary spine-specific functional restoration program in chronic low back pain patients with or without surgery.

Abstract Objective Evaluating the efficacy of an intensive, dynamic and multidisciplinary spine-specific functional restoration program in patients with chronic low back pain with or without surgery. Methods One hundred and forty-four subjects with chronic low back pain included in the retrospective study and divided into two groups: patients who had spine surgery (GI, n  = 81) and patients who did not have surgery (GC, n  = 37). The two groups followed the same functional restoration program (175 hours). All the subjects were evaluated before (T0) and after (T5wks) rehabilitation care based on physical, functional, psychological and professional parameters. Results All outcome measures were significantly improved for all subjects at the end of the study, regardless of the group. Eighty-one percent of patients returned to work. The surgery group obtained better results at the end of the program for pain and back muscle isometric endurance measures. Conclusions The effects of the intensive program were validated; nevertheless, spine surgery seems to have a positive impact on some physical parameters of this spine-specific functional restoration program.