Clinical Research Directory

Physiotherapy After Anterior Cervical Spine Surgery

Sponsor: Linkoeping University

Summary

Background: Patients suffering residual disability after anterior decompression and fusion (ACDF) surgery for cervical disc disease may be prescribed physical activity (PPA) or neck-specific exercises (NSE). Currently, we lack data for the success of either approach. There is also a knowledge-gap concerning the use of internet-based care for chronic neck pain, inclusive of cervical disc disease. The scarcity of these data, and the high proportion of patients with various degrees of incapacity following ACDF, warrants increased efforts to investigate and improve cost-effective rehabilitation. Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of a structured, internet-based NSE program, versus PPA following ACDF surgery. Methods: This is a prospective, randomised, experimental, longitudinal multicentre study, that includes 140 patients with residual disability (≥30% on the Neck Disability Index; NDI) following ACDF for radiculopathy due to cervical disc disease. Patient recruitment occurs following attendance at routine clinical appointments, scheduled for 3-months post-surgery. Patients are then randomised to one of two groups (70 patients/group), scheduled for a 3-month treatment of either internet-based NSE or PPA. Questionnaires on background data, pain and discomfort, physical and mental capacity, satisfaction with care, and health and workplace factors are completed, with physical measurements of neck-related function performed by independent test leaders blinded to randomisation. Measurements are performed at inclusion, after the 3-month treatments (end of treatment), and at a 2-year follow-up. Radiography will be completed at the 2-year follow-up. Preoperative data will be collected from the Swedish Spine Registry (Swespine). Data on healthcare consumption, drug use, and sick leave will be requested from the relevant national registers.

Official title: Physiotherapy After Anterior Cervical Spine Surgery for Cervical Disc Disease. A Prospective Randomised Study to Compare Internet-based Neck-specific Exercise With Prescribed Physical Activity

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