SPINE
The Added Value and the Efficacy of Preoperative Physiotherapy on Degenerative Diseases of the Lumbar Spine: A Systematic Review.
OrthoEvidence Journal (OE Journal) - ACE Report
Epub Ahead of Print
Physiother Res Int. 2026 01-Apr;():. 10.1002/pri.70214Study Summary
6 randomized controlled trial reports, representing 5 different study populations and 545 patients with degenerative diseases of the lumbar spine, were included in this systematic review comparing preoperative physiotherapy vs usual care. Pooled outcomes of interest included low back pain, leg pain, disability, hospitalisation, adverse events, and psychosocial outcomes. Meta-analyses at 3 months showed no meaningful differences between groups for low back pain, leg pain, or disability, and the overall certainty of evidence was very low. Overall, these findings suggest that preoperative physiotherapy has minimal added value before lumbar spine surgery, although the evidence is limited.
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