Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42008444›Full record

SynthesisPloS one2026

Effects of rehabilitation and behavior change interventions on physical capacity and physical activity behavior following lumbar surgery for degenerative disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

José Manuel García-Moreno, Tyler Adams, Amber Beynon, Janine Vlaar Olthuis, Stephan U Dombrowski, Richelle Witherspoon, Niels Wedderkopp, Jeffrey J Hébert

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in PloS one, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

8 authors.

José Manuel García-MorenoFaculty of Kinesiology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8270-2580
Tyler AdamsFaculty of Kinesiology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada.
Amber BeynonSchool of Allied Health, Curtin University, Perth, Bentley WA, Australia.
Janine Vlaar OlthuisDepartment of Psychology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada.
Stephan U DombrowskiFaculty of Kinesiology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada.
Richelle WitherspoonUniversity of New Brunswick Libraries, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada.
Niels WedderkoppCenter for Research in Childhood Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
Jeffrey J HébertFaculty of Kinesiology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRehabilitation and behavior change interventions are commonly used after lumbar surgery to improve recovery, but their effects on physical capacity and physical activity remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of rehabilitation and behavior change interventions on physical capacity and physical activity behavior in patients following lumbar surgery for degenerative disease.

methodsEMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and CENTRAL were searched from inception to September 2025 and reference lists were hand-searched. Randomized controlled trials assessing rehabilitation or behavior change interventions on physical capacity or physical activity behavior in adults with lumbar degenerative disc disease who underwent lumbar surgery were included. Review author pairs independently extracted data and assessed included studies. Risk of bias was assessed with the Cochrane tool, and study quality with the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation classification. Results were pooled using random-effects models and reported as standardized mean differences (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

resultsExercise was more effective than minimal or usual care in improving trunk extension endurance in the immediate term (SMD, 1.54; 95% CI, 0.93-2.16). Supervised exercise outperformed self-directed exercise in improving trunk extension endurance in the immediate term (SMD, 1.28; 95% CI, 0.75-1.81). Psychologically informed rehabilitation was more effective than minimal or usual care in increasing physical activity levels in the intermediate term (SMD, 0.26; 95% CI, 0.02-0.49), but not in the immediate term (SMD, 0.17; 95% CI, -0.14 to 0.49). Physical activity advice did not increase physical activity levels compared to minimal or usual care in the immediate term (SMD, 0.21; 95% CI, -0.13 to 0.55). Prehabilitation was more effective than minimal or usual care in increasing physical activity levels in the intermediate term (SMD, 0.28; 95% CI, 0.03-0.53). Certainty of evidence ranged from low to moderate.

conclusionsFor adults with lumbar degenerative disease who underwent lumbar surgery, exercise, especially supervised programs, improved trunk extension endurance in the immediate term. Psychologically informed rehabilitation and prehabilitation increased physical activity levels in the intermediate term, while physical activity advice showed no benefit. Findings are limited by low certainty of evidence and high risk of bias.

Indexed as

ExerciseExercise TherapyIntervertebral Disc DegenerationLumbar VertebraeHumans

Identifiers

PMID42008444
PMCPMC13094952

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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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.