Funcional and pain score after lumbar disc surgery and early physiotherapy <b>[Abstract in English]</b>

Abstract

Aims: To evaluate the effect of early postoperative physiotherapy on pain intensity and functional status scores after surgery for lumbar disc herniation (LDH). Methods: Randomized controlled study evaluating twenty patients undergoing LDH surgery in Hospital São Lucas, PUCRS, from October 2003 to May 2004. The sample was composed of 20 patients: 10 in the study group and 10 in the control group. The study group started the physiotherapy intervention in the first postoperative day and underwent TENS, Williams’s flexion exercises and sciatic neural stretching. A visual analogue scale (VAS) and the Roland Morris questionnaire were used to obtain pain and function scores. Results: Patients who received early postoperative physiotherapy after LDH surgery had significantly better functional scores (P = 0.009) and greater reduction of pain intensity (P = 0.028) than patients in the control group. Conclusions: Early physiotherapy contributed to a better functional status and resulted in pain reduction in the first months after LDH surgery. KEY WORDS: INTERVERTEBRAL DISK DISPLACEMENT/ rehabilitation; INTERVERTEBRAL DISK DISPLACEMENT/surgery; PHYSICAL THERAPY MODALITIES; PAIN, POSTOPERATIVE.; POSTOPERATIVE PERIOD.