Preoperative Exercise for Spinal Surgery Outcomes

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of California, San Diego

Disqualifiers: Unstable vertebral fracture, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores whether specific resistance exercises before spinal surgery can improve recovery and outcomes. Researchers aim to determine if strengthening back muscles beforehand leads to better surgical results. Participants will either follow a standard care routine or engage in targeted back exercises (preoperative resistance exercise). Individuals scheduled for spinal surgery and cleared for physical therapy might be suitable candidates. As an unphased trial, this study offers a unique opportunity to contribute to innovative research that could enhance surgical recovery for future patients.

Do I have to stop taking my current medications for the trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It's best to discuss this with the trial coordinators or your doctor.

What prior data suggests that preoperative resistance exercise is safe for spinal surgery patients?

Research has shown that resistance exercises before surgery are generally safe for patients. One study found that high-intensity interval training before back surgery was safe and manageable for high-risk patients. This indicates that even intense exercise before surgery can be well-tolerated. Another study found that special training helped maintain stable blood pressure during surgery, suggesting additional safety benefits.

Although these studies examine different types of exercises before surgery, they all suggest that exercise is a safe option for those preparing for back surgery. Patients should always consult their doctor about any new exercise program to ensure it is appropriate. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about preoperative resistance exercise for spinal surgery because it offers a proactive approach to improving surgical outcomes. Unlike standard preoperative care, which typically involves general recommendations from surgeons, this method specifically targets the back muscles above the surgery site. By strengthening these muscles before the operation, patients may experience better recovery and reduced complications. This focus on muscle strengthening as a preparatory step is a unique approach that aims to enhance the body's resilience and improve overall surgical success.

What evidence suggests that preoperative resistance exercise might be an effective treatment for improving spinal surgery outcomes?

This trial will compare preoperative resistance exercise with standard care for spinal surgery outcomes. Research has shown that resistance exercises before spinal surgery can lead to better results. Specifically, studies indicate that pre-surgery exercise can reduce disability three months afterward and decrease back pain after six months. Known as prehabilitation, this exercise also aids in short-term recovery after lumbar spine surgery. It enhances function, quality of life, and muscle strength while reducing back pain before surgery. Overall, exercise-based programs have consistently shown benefits in various outcomes before surgery. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for individuals with back pain who are scheduled to undergo spinal surgery. Participants should be interested in performing pre-operative resistance exercises as part of the study.

Inclusion Criteria

I am medically cleared to join an exercise program.

I am scheduled for or have had spinal surgery.

Exclusion Criteria

I do not have any health conditions or injuries that prevent me from doing physical therapy.

I can commit to the therapy schedule, both in-clinic and online.

I am able to complete questionnaires in English.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Pre-operative

Participants undergo pre-operative evaluation and treatment by a physical therapist, data collection, and fill out relevant questionnaires

4-6 weeks

Surgery

Participants undergo spine surgery as part of their planned standard care

Post-operative

Participants may be asked to undergo a post-operative evaluation and fill out questionnaires

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after surgery, including assessments of length of stay, surgical revision, disability, and pain

1 year

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Preoperative Resistance Exercise

Trial Overview The study is testing whether doing resistance exercises to strengthen back muscles before spine surgery can improve post-operative outcomes, such as spine function and overall recovery.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Preoperative Resistance exercise Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Resistance based exercise targeting the back muscles above where the intended surgery is planned

Group II: Control/Standard of Care Active Control 1 Intervention

Standard of Care preoperatively per surgeon recommendation

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of California, San Diego

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,215

Recruited

1,593,000+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11915239/

Effects of prehabilitation on outcomes following elective ... Exercise prehab interventions are superior to usual care for disability at 3-month (MD: −2.56, 95% CI −4.98 to −0.15), back pain at 6-month (MD: ...

2. nature.com nature.com/articles/s41598-021-90537-4

Effectiveness of an exercise-based prehabilitation program ... This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a preoperative exercise-based intervention program compared with usual care on the improvement of clinical ...

3. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S277252942500205X

Does preoperative physical therapy/prehabilitation affect ... Prehabilitation appears to be a promising intervention for enhancing short-term recovery following lumbar spine surgery. Nevertheless, its long-term ...

4. frontiersin.org frontiersin.org/journals/medicine/articles/10.3389/fmed.2025.1707138/full

Efficacy of Exercise-based Prehabilitation for Patients ... Conclusion: Exercise-based prehabilitation confers consistent small-to-moderate standardized benefits in most preoperative outcomes and shows a ...

5. jamanetwork.com jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2803788

Prehabilitation for Patients Undergoing Orthopedic Surgery The prehabilitation intervention significantly improved function, health-related quality of life, muscle strength, and back pain prior to surgery.

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10775701/

The Impact of Preoperative Adaptive Training on ... Our study reveals that preoperative adaptive training stabilizes intraoperative blood pressure fluctuations in lumbar disc herniation surgeries.

7. nature.com nature.com/articles/s41598-019-48736-7

Feasibility of conducting an active exercise prehabilitation ... This study intends to assess the feasibility of conducting a preoperative intervention program in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis.

8. tandfonline.com tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09638288.2022.2040618

Preoperative community based functional high intensity ... Preoperative high-intensity interval training is safe and feasible for high-risk patients opting for lumbar spinal fusion. In a relatively small ...

9. jospt.org jospt.org/doi/10.2519/jospt.2021.9748

A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis However, lumbar spine surgery carries the risk of complications, (temporary) decline in physical capacity, and unsatisfactory results.

10. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266654842500040X

Therapeutic exercise following lumbar spine surgery This review provides the most current evidence regarding the safety and effectiveness of therapeutic exercise following lumbar spine surgery.