Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39749418›Full record

SynthesisJournal of rehabilitation medicine2025

Does rehabilitation improve work participation in patients with chronic spinal pain after spinal surgery: a systematic review.

Jonas Callens, Olivia Lavreysen, Lisa Goudman, Ann De Smedt, Koen Putman, Dominique Van de Velde, Lode Godderis, Dries Ceulemans, Maarten Moens

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of rehabilitation medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Jonas CallensSTIMULUS research group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Jette, Belgium; Cluster Neurosciences, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium; Interuniversity Centre for Health Economics Research (I-CHER), Department of Public Health (GEWE), Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Jette, Belgium.
Olivia LavreysenCentre for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven (University of Leuven), Leuven, Belgium.
Lisa GoudmanSTIMULUS research group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Jette, Belgium; Cluster Neurosciences, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium; Centre for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven (University of Leuven), Leuven, Belgium; Pain in Motion Research Group (PAIN), Department of Physiotherapy, Human Physiology and Anatomy, Faculty of Physical Education & Physiotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Jette, Belgium; Department of Neurosurgery, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Jette, Belgium; Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Jette, Belgium; Research Foundation Flanders (FWO), Brussels, Belgium.
Ann De SmedtSTIMULUS research group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Jette, Belgium; Cluster Neurosciences, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium; Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Jette, Belgium; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Jette, Belgium.
Koen PutmanInteruniversity Centre for Health Economics Research (I-CHER), Department of Public Health (GEWE), Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Jette, Belgium.
Dominique Van de VeldeFaculty of Medicine and Healthcare Sciences, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Occupational Therapy Program, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Lode GodderisCentre for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven (University of Leuven), Leuven, Belgium; IDEWE, External Service for Prevention and Protection at Work, Heverlee, Belgium.
Dries CeulemansFaculty of Medicine and Healthcare Sciences, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Occupational Therapy Program, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Maarten MoensSTIMULUS research group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Jette, Belgium; Cluster Neurosciences, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium; Pain in Motion Research Group (PAIN), Department of Physiotherapy, Human Physiology and Anatomy, Faculty of Physical Education & Physiotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Jette, Belgium; Department of Neurosurgery, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Jette, Belgium; Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Jette, Belgium; Research Foundation Flanders (FWO), Brussels, Belgium; Department of Radiology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Jette, Belgium. Maarten.TA.Moens@vub.be.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivePatients with therapy-refractory chronic spinal pain after spinal surgery experience increased disability, resulting in substantial loss of employment and consequently lower quality of life. Despite findings that rehabilitation improves socio-economic outcomes in other chronic pain conditions, evidence for patients with chronic spinal pain after spinal surgery is limited. A systematic review was conducted to provide an overview of rehabilitation interventions and their effectiveness to improve work participation for patients with chronic spinal pain after spinal surgery.

methodsMEDLINE (via PubMed), Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science, were systematically searched. Risk of bias was assessed using the modified Downs and Black checklist and GRADE was used to assess certainty of evidence. The review protocol was prospectively registered on PROSPERO (CRD42022346091).

resultsThe search yielded 1,289 publications. Full-text screening of 48 articles resulted in the inclusion of 6 publications. The included interventions comprised multiple treatment components, consisting of back school, self-care, functional restoration, multidisciplinary rehabilitation, physiotherapy, and digital care programmes to improve work participation.

conclusionRehabilitation to improve return to work for patients with chronic spinal pain after spinal surgery was supported only by low-certainty evidence. Rehabilitation therapies that are personalized and that integrate the patient's work seem most suitable.

Indexed as

Chronic PainBack PainHumansPhysical Therapy ModalitiesQuality of LifeReturn to Work

Identifiers

PMID39749418
PMCPMC11681149

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.