Protocol for Testing Yoga to Reduce Post-Lumbar Spine Surgery Pain: A Methodology Article

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Integrative and Complementary Medicine

Background:

• Acute postoperative pain and restrictive precautions are common after lumbar spine surgery.
• Medication is the primary pain management strategy, often with limited functional recovery.
• Yoga presents a potential complementary approach for pain, anxiety, and functional improvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and test the feasibility of a tailored yoga program for postoperative care after lumbar spine surgery.
• To explore the effectiveness of this yoga program in managing pain, anxiety, and function.
• To assess patient adherence and outcomes during hospitalization and post-discharge.

Main Methods:

• Pilot study utilizing a crossover randomized controlled design.
• Recruitment of individuals aged 40-80 undergoing lumbar laminectomy/fusion.
• Intervention included in-person yoga during hospital stay and electronic delivery post-discharge for 8 weeks.

Main Results:

• Feasibility assessed by adherence and compliance to the yoga program.
• Secondary outcomes included pain, anxiety, function, sleep, stress, and pain catastrophizing.
• Data collected on hospital stay length, medication use, and physical activity.

Conclusions:

• The study aims to determine the feasibility of a tailored yoga program for managing acute and subacute postoperative pain, anxiety, and functional outcomes in lumbar spine surgery patients.
• Findings will inform the potential integration of yoga into standard postoperative care pathways.
• This research explores a novel, patient-centered approach to enhance recovery after spinal surgery.