{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,25]],"date-time":"2026-09-25T04:32:53Z","timestamp":1790310773027,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":34,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"9","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,4,26]],"date-time":"2024-04-26T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1714089600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Postoperative physical therapy emerges as a pivotal element of the rehabilitation process, aimed at enhancing functional recovery, managing pain, and mitigating the risk of further complications. The debate concerning the optimal timing of physical therapy intervention post-surgery remains unresolved; in particular, whether to initiate physical therapy immediately or to wait weeks is of particular interest. The aim of this study is to review the available literature regarding the optimal timing of physical therapy initiation and the outcomes obtained. Methods: This review was carried out in accordance with the Preferential Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. This search was carried out in February 2024. Only peer-reviewed articles were considered for inclusion. Results: Fourteen studies were included. The primary outcomes assessed in the included studies were the following: 12-week and 12-month low back pain, return to work, function and disability, psychological status, patient satisfaction, and complications associated with early physical therapy. A meta-analysis was performed concerning low back pain after lumbar discectomy at 12 weeks and 12 months and complications after early physical therapy after lumbar discectomy and lumbar interbody fusion. A significant difference was found between early and standard physical therapy in terms of low back pain at 12\u201318 months (p = 0.0062); no significant differences were found in terms of complications, both for discectomy and arthrodesis. Conclusions: This review indicates that employing early rehabilitation strategies for intervertebral disc disease could enhance results in terms of pain and disability without an enhanced risk of complications.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm13092553","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,4,26]],"date-time":"2024-04-26T08:18:27Z","timestamp":1714119507000},"page":"2553","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":7,"title":["Unveiling Timetable for Physical Therapy after Single-Level Lumbar Surgery for Degenerative Disc Disease: Insights from a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Alberto","family":"Ruffilli","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"1st Orthopaedic and Traumatologic Clinic, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy"},{"name":"Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Science\u2014DIBINEM, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3992-9637","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marco","family":"Manzetti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"1st Orthopaedic and Traumatologic Clinic, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy"},{"name":"Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Science\u2014DIBINEM, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alessandro","family":"Cargeli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"1st Orthopaedic and Traumatologic Clinic, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4348-0983","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Giovanni","family":"Viroli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"1st Orthopaedic and Traumatologic Clinic, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy"},{"name":"Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Science\u2014DIBINEM, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Marco","family":"Ialuna","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"1st Orthopaedic and Traumatologic Clinic, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Matteo","family":"Traversari","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"1st Orthopaedic and Traumatologic Clinic, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Fabio","family":"Vita","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"1st Orthopaedic and Traumatologic Clinic, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Isabella Sofia","family":"Giannini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"1st Orthopaedic and Traumatologic Clinic, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8083-7932","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Cesare","family":"Faldini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"1st Orthopaedic and Traumatologic Clinic, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy"},{"name":"Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Science\u2014DIBINEM, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,4,26]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"S1","DOI":"10.1227\/NEU.0000000000000953","article-title":"The Aging of the Global Population: The Changing Epidemiology of Disease and Spinal Disorders","volume":"77","author":"Fehlings","year":"2015","journal-title":"Neurosurgery"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"6","DOI":"10.1016\/j.maturitas.2020.05.018","article-title":"The World Health Organization (WHO) Approach to Healthy Ageing","volume":"139","author":"Rudnicka","year":"2020","journal-title":"Maturitas"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"257","DOI":"10.1007\/s11420-011-9204-5","article-title":"Degenerative Scoliosis: A Review","volume":"7","author":"Kotwal","year":"2011","journal-title":"HSS J."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1688","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.2022.5921","article-title":"Diagnosis and Management of Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: A Review","volume":"327","author":"Katz","year":"2022","journal-title":"Jama"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"925","DOI":"10.1007\/s00586-005-1053-9","article-title":"The Adult Scoliosis","volume":"14","author":"Aebi","year":"2005","journal-title":"Eur. 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