Cost-effectiveness evaluation of an RCT in rehabilitation after lumbar spinal fusion: a low-cost, behavioural approach is cost-effective over individual exercise therapy.

Recently, Christensen et al. reported the clinical effects of a low-cost rehabilitation program equally efficient to a relatively intensive program of individual, physiotherapist-guided exercise therapy. Yet, the low-cost approach is not fully supported as an optimal strategy until a full-scale economic evaluation, including extra-hospital effects such as service utilization in the primary health care sector and return-to-work, is conducted.

Importance of the back-café concept to rehabilitation after lumbar spinal fusion: a randomized clinical study with a 2-year follow-up.

Study Design: A prospective, randomized, clinical study with a 2-year follow-up.

Objectives: To analyze the effect of three different rehabilitation strategies for lumbar spinal fusion patients.

Summary Of Background Data: Fifteen percent to 40% of lumbar spinal fusion patients are not expected to improve significantly over a 2-year period.