Preoperative baseline | 2-Week postoperative baseline | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
General exercise | Specific exercise | General exercise | Specific exercise | |
Age (years) | 40.2 (8.8) | 40.6 (10.2) | – | – |
Body mass index | 28.3 (6.4) | 30.9 (7.3) | – | – |
Sex (% female) | 47.0 | 55.2 | – | – |
Level of surgery (%) | ||||
L3/L4 | – | – | 6.3 | 6.9 |
L4/L5 | – | – | 25.0 | 27.6 |
L5/S1 | – | – | 68.8 | 65.5 |
Prior LBP or sciatica (%) | 81.3 | 79.3 | – | – |
Time from episode onset to surgery (days)* | 132.0 (206.0) | 135 (143.5) | – | – |
Symptoms distal to the knee (%) | 87.5 | 86.2 | 71.9 | 72.4 |
Able to work without restriction (%) | 35.5 | 32.1 | 25.0 | 10.4 |
Currently taking pain medication for back problem (%) | 90.3 | 77.8 | 59.4 | 75.9 |
Disability | 44.1 (13.8) | 42.8 (17.1) | 30.6 (15.9) | 31.4 (18.2) |
Low back pain intensity | 3.8 (2.7) | 4.7 (2.3) | 2.5 (2.1) | 2.6 (1.9) |
Leg back pain intensity | 5.8 (2.4) | 5.3 (2.7) | 1.8 (2.1) | 2.4 (2.2) |
Sciatica frequency | 18.8 (4.0) | 17.7 (5.2) | 8.9 (5.3) | 10.6 (4.8) |
Sciatica bothersomeness | 16.7 (5.0) | 15.7 (5.2) | 6.6 (5.6) | 7.0 (3.7) |
Global rating of change | – | – | 4.6 (2.9) | 4.6 (2.8) |
Muscle thickness change on side of surgery† (%) | 3.7 (7.5) | 0.5 (15.9) | 2.2 (4.7) | 3.8 (6.4) |
Muscle thickness change contralateral to surgery† (%) | 4.5 (5.5) | 3.2 (6.6) | 3.7 (6.1) | 3.1 (4.9) |
*Median (interquartile range).
†Measured at spinal level of surgery.
Values are mean (SD) unless otherwise specified.