Hitherto no comprehensive long-term follow-up data of 10 years and more have been obtained from survivors of disc surgery that would have considered the type of postoperative care.

Objectives: 1) To evaluate the long-term effects of postoperative comprehensive physiotherapy starting 1 week after lumbar disc surgery. 2) To assess the relative risk of segmental instability in the operated segment 12 years following lumbar disc surgery.

Design: Twelve years' follow-up of a three-armed, randomized, controlled, single blinded clinical trial. Setting: Outpatient department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. Participants: Of 120 patients following first-time, uncomplicated lumbar disc surgery who participated in the original study are invited to a 12 years follow-up examination. Interventions: In the original study, patients had been randomly assigned to "comprehensive physiotherapy", "sham intervention" (neck massage), or no therapy. Measurements: Low Back Pain Rating Score (LBPRS; Manniche 1993), functional X-rays of the lumbar spine. All data are collected by blinded students and physicians at the Department of PM&R, Vienna Medical University.

Inclusion Criteria:

• all patients who had undergone a first time uncomplicated disc surgery for lumbar vertebral disc herniation who had taken part in the original RCT and had completed the treatment originally allocated
• all patients who had undergone a first time uncomplicated disc surgery for lumbar vertebral disc herniation who had taken part in the original RCT and had not completed the treatment originally allocated

Exclusion Criteria:

• n.a.