Rehabilitation Post Lumbar Microdiscectomy

The purpose of this study is to determine whether a rehabilitation program following lumbar microdiscectomy influences short-term (4 months) and long-term (up to 5 years)outcomes in quality of life, activity and endurance.

Exercise

Inclusion Criteria:

• 18-60 years old
• Single level lumbar microdiscectomy

Exclusion Criteria:

• Potential subjects will be excluded is they exhibit symptoms suggestive of facet arthrosis or neurogenic claudication, or if their plain radiographs showed more than 50 percent loss of disc height at the relevant level.
• Patients in whom the protrusion occupied more than 50 percent of the sagittal diameter of the spinal canal or in whom sequestrated fragments were seen on MRI will also be excluded.

Other exclusion criteria will include:

• Previous back surgeries
• Presence of any other concurrent foot pathology besides leg and low back pain and associated single level disc injury
• Nervous system problems (e.g., stroke, dementia, seizures)
• Cognitive dysfunction (e.g. TBI, CVA, Alzheimer's)
• Uncontrolled cardiovascular disease
• Evidence of cord compression
• Uncontrolled hypertension
• Infection
• Severe respiratory disease
• Pregnancy
• Rheumatic joint disease
• Peripheral vascular disease with sensory loss of the foot
• Any condition that the subject identifies that might limit participation in physical activity