Effektivität ambulanter orthopädischer Rehabilitationsmaßnahmen bei Erkrankungen der Lendenwirbelsäule

This study examined whether a 3-week outpatient orthopedic rehabilitation measure has a demonstrable influence on the physical performance and pain perception of patients with diseases of the lumbar spine. For this purpose, data available at the rehabilitation center from routine tests were evaluated using the information from the back performance scale (BPS) at the beginning and at the end of the rehabilitation measure in 60 rehabilitation patients. Furthermore, data from a pain numeric rating scale (NRS) were also used to evaluate whether differences in subjective pain perception before and after the measure can also be detected. The evaluation was carried out separately for conservatively and surgically treated patients with diseases of the lumbar spine. The results of the BPS and NRS examinations of 60 rehabilitation patients (23 women, 37 men) aged 19–73 years (mean 51.5 years ± 12.07 years) with a surgically (n = 36) or conservatively (n = 24) treated disease of the lumbar spine, who received aftercare at the outpatient rehabilitation center Baunatal could be evaluated. With the exception of three subjects who did not have a medical clearance for the lifting test, all tests of the BPS could be carried out without restrictions; there were no restrictions on NRS testing. The statistical evaluations show that a 3-week outpatient orthopedic rehabilitation measure has a positive influence on physical performance, as measured by the BPS. The mean value for all 5 tests of the BPS significantly improved from 5.03 (SD 2.54) before the rehabilitation measure to 2.97 (SD 2.27) after the rehabilitation measure. The subjective pain perception, as measured by the NRS, also showed a significant improvement in the mean values for all patients from 3.48 (SD 2.65) at baseline to 2.07 (SD 2.32), with patients receiving surgery tending to report lower levels of pain. The evaluations indicate that physical performance can be demonstrably improved by a 3-week outpatient orthopedic rehabilitation measure, while subjective pain sensations are equally reduced. The effects are independent of whether the subjects have been treated surgically or conservatively.