A VIDEO-GUIDED exercise program cut disability and fear of movement for two years after lumbar surgery in Japan a 24-month trial.
Home-Based Video-Guided Exercise Program Improves Recovery
A quasi-randomized controlled trial suggests a structured, home-based video-guided exercise program can enhance long-term functional and psychological recovery following lumbar spine surgery. Researchers evaluated 196 adults (mean age 70 years, 62% male) who underwent posterior decompression for lumbar disc herniation or spinal canal stenosis at a single university-affiliated spine center in Japan.
Participants were assigned by hospital registration number to either a video-guided exercise group (103 patients) or a control group receiving standard post-operative care (93 patients). Follow-up at 24 months was completed by 168 patients, with 84 individuals in each group included in the final analysis.
The intervention focused on a 15-minute home routine performed daily for 2 years, supported by video instruction. Outcomes were assessed before surgery and at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months, capturing disability, health-related quality of life, mood, and pain over time. Longitudinal changes were evaluated using mixed-effects modelling.
Disability and Fear of Movement Reduced Over 24 Months
Across follow-up, the home-based video-guided exercise program was associated with significantly lower disability scores on the Oswestry Disability Index, alongside consistently lower fear of movement measured by the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia.
Quality of life outcomes also favored the intervention. Patients in the video-guided group reported higher Physical Function and General Health scores on the 36-Item Short Form Survey, indicating broader functional recovery beyond symptom control alone.
Psychological recovery appeared to improve earlier in the post-operative period. Depressive symptoms, measured using the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale, were significantly lower at 1, 6, and 12 months in the intervention group compared with controls.
Pain outcomes were more mixed. Pain ratings did not differ between groups at 12 or 24 months, suggesting the program’s longer-term value may lie in restoring function and confidence in movement rather than altering chronic pain intensity.
Clinical Takeaway
These findings support a low-cost, scalable home-based video-guided exercise program as a potential enhancement to standard rehabilitation after lumbar spine surgery, particularly for older adults requiring sustained support.
Reference: [Author details not provided in supplied abstract] et al. Home-based video-guided exercise programme enhances functional and psychological recovery after lumbar spine surgery: A quasi-randomized controlled trial. 2025;doi:10.1177/02692155251414025.
