Effects of an exercise treatment program on lumbar extensor muscle strength and pain of rehabilitation patients recovering from lumbar disc herniation surgery

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to examine effects of an exercise treatment program on lumbar extensor muscle strength and pain of rehabilitation patients following lumbar disc herniation surgery. [Subjects] This study randomly allocated 14 rehabilitation patients after lumbar disc herniation surgery to an exercise therapy group (ETG, n=7) and a control group (CONG, n=7). [Methods] Lumbar extensor muscle strength was measured using a Medx lumbar extension machine (Medx, USA) and pain was assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS). [Results] ETG showed significant improvements in all items that measured lumbar extensor muscle strength and pain after the intervention, but CONG did not exhibit any significant improvements. [Conclusion] The exercise treatment program for rehabilitation patients after lumbar disc herniation surgery was effective at strengthening lumbar extensor muscles and reducing pain.