Surgery Likely Better Than Exercise for Back Pain

The results of a four-year study on severe back pain show that spine surgery produces more and faster pain relief and greater improvement in function than exercise, physical therapy and analgesic drugs. The study, known as the Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial (SPORT), was published in the medical journal Spine. The results of the first two years of the research had already found that spine surgery works better than non-surgical techniques for patients who have herniated lumbar (lower back) discs. The next two years have confirmed those findings.

Estimates are that as many as 80 percent of Americans will be afflicted by back pain sometime in their lives. The annual cost to society of treating back conditions is approximately $100 billion, and evidence suggests that surgery may not only produce superior outcomes but be the more cost-effective approach.

The investigation looked at 1,244 patients at 13 U.S. spine clinics, each patient having suffered at least six weeks from a herniated disc in the lumbar spine that caused back pain, leg pain and other symptoms. Patients were assigned to either a back-surgery group that received standard open discectomy, or to a non-surgical group that was treated with active physical therapy, counseling with home exercise instruction, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. ames Bean, president of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, said of the findings, "They've held up for four years - and I think it's a well-done paper. I agree with everything that was concluded."

Even though the results supported the effectiveness of surgery, the study authors hastened to note that all patients in the project improved. It was found that anyone willing to apply themselves to a regimen of physical therapy, home exercises and analgesic drugs was bound to make progress - even though spine-surgery patients made greater progress.

 In addition, non-surgical interventions were found to get patients back to work just as fast as using surgery. "Return to work," the authors say, "appears to be independent of treatment received and does not follow improvements in pain, function, or satisfaction with treatment."


Disclaimer

Featured Doctors

Hip Pain Specialist New Jersey

Dr. Damon Noto, MD
Damon Noto, MD

Spine & Joint Center
777 Terrace Avenue, 4th Floor
Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 07604

Call: 866-385-8138

Radiosurgery Westchester & Rockland

Dr. Bennie Chiles III
Bennie Chiles III

Westchester Spine and Brain Surgery, PLLC
280 N. Central Ave Suite 235
Hartsdale, NY 10530

Call: 914-332-0396

Stereotactic Radiosurgery Westchester, New York

 Neurological and Spine Surgery Associates, P.C.
Neurological and Spine Surgery Associates, P.C.

Neurological and Spine Surgery Associates, P.C.
19 Bradhurst Ave., Ste. 2800
Hawthorne, NY 10532

Call: (888) 766-1480

Cerebrovascular Surgery/ Endovascular Surgery Westchester, NY

 Neurological and Spine Surgery Associates, P.C.
Neurological and Spine Surgery Associates, P.C.

Neurological and Spine Surgery Associates, P.C.
19 Bradhurst Ave., Ste. 2800
Hawthorne, NY 10532

Call: (888) 766-1480

Stereotactic/ Functional Neurosurgery Westchester, NY

 Neurological and Spine Surgery Associates, P.C.
Neurological and Spine Surgery Associates, P.C.

Neurological and Spine Surgery Associates, P.C.
19 Bradhurst Ave., Ste. 2800
Hawthorne, NY 10532

Call: (888) 766-1480

Spine Surgery

RecoverNow

,

Call: 888-798-5181

Arthritis Doctors Bergen County

Dr. Damon Noto, MD
Damon Noto, MD

Spine & Joint Center
777 Terrace Avenue, 4th Floor
Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 07604

Call: 866-385-8138

Skull Base Surgery Westchester, New York

 Neurological and Spine Surgery Associates, P.C.
Neurological and Spine Surgery Associates, P.C.

Neurological and Spine Surgery Associates, P.C.
19 Bradhurst Ave., Ste. 2800
Hawthorne, NY 10532

Call: (888) 766-1480

Back Pain Westchester, NY

Dr. Bennie Chiles III
Bennie Chiles III

Westchester Spine and Brain Surgery, PLLC
280 N. Central Ave Suite 235
Hartsdale, NY 10530

Call: 914-332-0396

Stem Cells & Parkinson's Disease

Dr. Daniel Royal
Daniel Royal

Royal Medical Group
9065 S. Pecos Rd., Ste. 250
Henderson, Nevada 89074

Call: 800-888-9564

Neuro Oncology Westchester & Rockland

Dr. Bennie Chiles III
Bennie Chiles III

Westchester Spine & Brain Surgery, PLLC
280 N. Central Ave Suite 235
Hartsdale, NY 10530

Call: 914-332-0396

Shoulder Pain Specialist New Jersey

Dr. Damon Noto, MD
Damon Noto, MD

Spine & Joint Center
777 Terrace Avenue, 4th Floor
Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 07604

Call: 866-385-8138

Neurosurgeon Westchester, NY 10530

Dr. Bennie Chiles
Bennie Chiles

Westchester Spine and Brain Surgery, PLLC
280 N. Central Ave Suite 235
Hartsdale, NY 10530

Call: 914-332-0396

Knee Pain Specialist New Jersey

Dr. Damon Noto, MD
Damon Noto, MD

Spine & Joint Center
777 Terrace Avenue, 4th Floor
Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 07604

Call: 866-385-8138

Neuro-Oncology Westchester, New York

 Neurological and Spine Surgery Associates, P.C.
Neurological and Spine Surgery Associates, P.C.

Neurological and Spine Surgery Associates, P.C.
19 Bradhurst Ave., Ste. 2800
Hawthorne, NY 10532

Call: (888) 766-1480

Neurosurgery/ Neurosurgeon Westchester, New York

 Neurological and Spine Surgery Associates, P.C.
Neurological and Spine Surgery Associates, P.C.

Neurological and Spine Surgery Associates, P.C.
19 Bradhurst Ave., Ste. 2800
Hawthorne, NY 10532

Call: (888) 766-1480

Stem Cells and Parkinson's Disease

Dr. Daniel Royal
Daniel Royal

Royal Medical Group
9065 S. Pecos Rd., Ste. 250
Henderson, Nevada 89074

Call: 888-664-7161

Minimally Invasive Spinal Disc Surgery New Jersey

Dr. Damon Noto, MD
Damon Noto, MD

Spine & Joint Center
777 Terrace Avenue, 4th Floor
Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 07604

Call: 866-385-8138

Spine Surgery Westchester, NY

Dr. Bennie Chiles
Bennie Chiles

Westchester Spine and Brain Surgery, PLLC
280 N. Central Ave Suite 235
Hartsdale, NY 10530

Call: 914-332-0396

Neck Surgery Westchester, NY 10530

Dr. Bennie Chiles
Bennie Chiles

Westchester Spine and Brain Surgery, PLLC
280 N. Central Ave Suite 235
Hartsdale, NY 10530

Call: 914-332-0396