Lumbar Disc HerniationNCT07889817
Telerehabilitation After Lumbar Disc Herniation Surgery
A study testing Home Exercise Program and Telerehabilitation-Based Exercise Program in people with Lumbar Disc Herniation, run by Hasan Kalyoncu University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effectiveness of a telerehabilitation-based exercise program in individuals who had undergone surgery for lumbar disc herniation. Participants were assigned to a control group, a home exercise group, or a telerehabilitation group. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 60 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Lumbar Disc Herniation
- What is being tested?
- Home Exercise Program and Telerehabilitation-Based Exercise Program
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 82 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 1 Dec 2024to 1 Oct 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 60 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Participants who had undergone lumbar disc herniation surgery four weeks previously
- Age between 18 and 60 years
- Voluntary agreement to participate in the study
Who cannot join
- Presence of cognitive or physical health problems that could prevent participation in the study
- Use of analgesic or muscle relaxant medication
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Turkey (Türkiye)1 site
Inonu University Turgut Ozal Medical Center
Malatya, 44280
About this study
Official title: Investigation of the Effectiveness of a Telerehabilitation-Based Exercise Program After Lumbar Disc Herniation Surgery
This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effectiveness of a telerehabilitation-based exercise program in individuals who had undergone surgery for lumbar disc herniation. Participants were assigned to a control group, a home exercise group, or a telerehabilitation group. The exercise programs started four weeks after surgery and continued for eight weeks, three days per week, with each session lasting 30-45 minutes. The home exercise group performed the exercise program independently at home, while the telerehabilitation group performed the same program under remote supervision of a physiotherapist using video calls. The control group continued their routine daily activities without participating in a structured exercise program during the study period. Pain, disability, physical activity, and health-related quality of life were assessed before and after the eight-week intervention period.
- Conditions
- Lumbar Disc Herniation
- Being tested
- Home Exercise Program, Telerehabilitation-Based Exercise Program
- Keywords
- Telerehabilitation, Exercise Therapy, Home Exercise, Postoperative Rehabilitation, Lumbar Disc Herniation, Pain, Disability, Physical Activity, Quality of Life
- Medical subject headings
- Intervertebral Disc Displacement, Pain, Motor Activity
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Home Exercise ProgramBehavioural
Participants received instruction on the exercise program from a physiotherapist at the hospital and subsequently performed the program independently at home. The program started at the end of the fourth postoperative week and continued for 8 weeks, three days per week, with each session lasting approximately 30-45 minutes. The program included active range-of-motion exercises, shoulder circumduction, breathing exercises, walking at a target Modified Borg Scale rating of 4-6, lower-extremity stretching, quadriceps and lumbar extensor isometric exercises, and trunk extension exercises. Exercise repetitions were progressed from 8 repetitions during the first 4 weeks to 12 repetitions during the following 4 weeks.
Telerehabilitation-Based Exercise ProgramBehavioural
Participants performed an 8-week telerehabilitation-based exercise program under remote supervision of a physiotherapist via video calls. The program was performed three days per week, with each session lasting approximately 30-45 minutes.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Control Group | No intervention | Participants in the control group continued their routine daily activities and did not participate in a structured exercise program during the 8-week study period. After completion of the study, participants were offered an exercise program upon request. |
| Home Exercise Group | Active comparator | Participants in the home exercise group were taught the structured exercise program by a physiotherapist at the hospital and subsequently performed the program independently at home. The program started at the end of the fourth postoperative week and was performed three days per week for 8 weeks, with each session lasting approximately 30-45 minutes. Receives: Behavioral: Home Exercise Program |
| Telerehabilitation Group | Experimental | Participants in the telerehabilitation group received the structured exercise program under remote supervision of a physiotherapist. The program started at the end of the fourth postoperative week and continued for 8 weeks, three days per week, with each session lasting approximately 30-45 minutes. After initial instruction at the hospital, subsequent exercise sessions were supervised remotely via WhatsApp video calls. Receives: Behavioral: Telerehabilitation-Based Exercise Program |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in Functional Disability Assessed by the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI)
The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) assesses functional disability associated with low back pain. Scores range from 0% to 100%, with higher scores indicating greater functional disability and a worse outcome. Changes in ODI scores were assessed from baseline to the end of the eight-week intervention period.
Measured: Baseline and 8 weeks
Pain Intensity Assessed by the Visual Analog Scale (VAS)
The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) assesses pain intensity on a scale ranging from 0 to 10, where 0 indicates no pain and 10 indicates the worst imaginable pain. Higher scores indicate greater pain intensity and a worse outcome. Changes in VAS scores were assessed from baseline to the end of the eight-week intervention period.
Measured: Baseline and 8 weeks
Physical Activity Assessed by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ)
The International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF) assesses physical activity performed during the preceding seven days. Total physical activity is calculated using walking, moderate-intensity, and vigorous-intensity activities and expressed as metabolic equivalent task minutes per week (MET-min/week). Scores range from a minimum of 0 MET-min/week to no fixed maximum. Higher scores indicate greater levels of physical activity. Changes in total physical activity scores were assessed from baseline to the end of the eight-week intervention period.
Measured: Baseline and 8 weeks
Health-Related Quality of Life Assessed by the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36)
The Short Form-36 (SF-36) Health Survey assesses health-related quality of life across eight domains: physical functioning, role limitations due to physical health, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social functioning, role limitations due to emotional problems, and mental health. Each domain is scored from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better health-related quality of life. Changes in SF-36 scores were assessed from baseline to the end of the eight-week intervention period.
Measured: Baseline and 8 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted22 Oct 2026
- Study start1 Dec 2024
- Primary completion1 Oct 2026
- Study completion1 Oct 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Lumbar Disc HerniationStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 82 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Hasan Kalyoncu University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, İlker DEMİR, Inonu University
- Investigators
- İlker Demir, Principal investigator, Inonu University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07889817
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2024/152
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 14 Oct 2026
- Last updated
- 22 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 22 Oct 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Investigation of the Effectiveness of a Telerehabilitation-Based Exercise Program After Lumbar Disc Herniation Surgery
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07889817
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 2024/152
- Conditions
- Lumbar Disc Herniation
- Keywords
- Telerehabilitation, Exercise Therapy, Home Exercise, Postoperative Rehabilitation, Lumbar Disc Herniation, Pain, Disability, Physical Activity
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 82 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Hasan Kalyoncu UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Dec 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 Oct 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 1 Oct 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 22 Oct 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effectiveness of a telerehabilitation-based exercise program in individuals who had undergone surgery for lumbar disc herniation. Participants were assigned to a control group, a home exercise group, or a telerehabilitation group. The exercise programs started four weeks after surgery and continued for eight weeks, three days per week, with each session lasting 30-45 minutes. The home exercise group performed the exercise program independently at home, while the telerehabilitation group performed the same program under remote supervision of a physiotherapist using video calls. The control group continued their routine daily activities without participating in a structured exercise program during the study period. Pain, disability, physical activity, and health-related quality of life were assessed before and after the eight-week intervention period.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Control Group | No intervention | –Participants in the control group continued their routine daily activities and did not participate in a structured exercise program during the 8-week study period. After completion of the study, participants were offered an exercise program upon request. |
| Home Exercise Group | Active comparator | Behavioral: Home Exercise ProgramParticipants in the home exercise group were taught the structured exercise program by a physiotherapist at the hospital and subsequently performed the program independently at home. The program started at the end of the fourth postoperative week and was performed three days per week for 8 weeks, with each session lasting approximately 30-45 minutes. |
| Telerehabilitation Group | Experimental | Behavioral: Telerehabilitation-Based Exercise ProgramParticipants in the telerehabilitation group received the structured exercise program under remote supervision of a physiotherapist. The program started at the end of the fourth postoperative week and continued for 8 weeks, three days per week, with each session lasting approximately 30-45 minutes. After initial instruction at the hospital, subsequent exercise sessions were supervised remotely via WhatsApp video calls. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 60 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Participants who had undergone lumbar disc herniation surgery four weeks previously
- Age between 18 and 60 years
- Voluntary agreement to participate in the study
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Presence of cognitive or physical health problems that could prevent participation in the study
- Use of analgesic or muscle relaxant medication
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Home Exercise ProgramParticipants received instruction on the exercise program from a physiotherapist at the hospital and subsequently performed the program independently at home. The program started at the end of the fourth postoperative week and continued for 8 weeks, three days per week, with each session lasting approximately 30-45 minutes. The program included active range-of-motion exercises, shoulder circumduction, breathing exercises, walking at a target Modified Borg Scale rating of 4-6, lower-extremity stretching, quadriceps and lumbar extensor isometric exercises, and trunk extension exercises. Exercise repetitions were progressed from 8 repetitions during the first 4 weeks to 12 repetitions during the following 4 weeks. | Behavioural | Home Exercise Group |
| Telerehabilitation-Based Exercise ProgramParticipants performed an 8-week telerehabilitation-based exercise program under remote supervision of a physiotherapist via video calls. The program was performed three days per week, with each session lasting approximately 30-45 minutes. | Behavioural | Telerehabilitation Group |
Primary outcome
Change in Functional Disability Assessed by the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI)
Time frame: Baseline and 8 weeks
The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) assesses functional disability associated with low back pain. Scores range from 0% to 100%, with higher scores indicating greater functional disability and a worse outcome. Changes in ODI scores were assessed from baseline to the end of the eight-week intervention period.
Pain Intensity Assessed by the Visual Analog Scale (VAS)
Time frame: Baseline and 8 weeks
The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) assesses pain intensity on a scale ranging from 0 to 10, where 0 indicates no pain and 10 indicates the worst imaginable pain. Higher scores indicate greater pain intensity and a worse outcome. Changes in VAS scores were assessed from baseline to the end of the eight-week intervention period.
Physical Activity Assessed by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ)
Time frame: Baseline and 8 weeks
The International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF) assesses physical activity performed during the preceding seven days. Total physical activity is calculated using walking, moderate-intensity, and vigorous-intensity activities and expressed as metabolic equivalent task minutes per week (MET-min/week). Scores range from a minimum of 0 MET-min/week to no fixed maximum. Higher scores indicate greater levels of physical activity. Changes in total physical activity scores were assessed from baseline to the end of the eight-week intervention period.
Health-Related Quality of Life Assessed by the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36)
Time frame: Baseline and 8 weeks
The Short Form-36 (SF-36) Health Survey assesses health-related quality of life across eight domains: physical functioning, role limitations due to physical health, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social functioning, role limitations due to emotional problems, and mental health. Each domain is scored from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better health-related quality of life. Changes in SF-36 scores were assessed from baseline to the end of the eight-week intervention period.
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 22 Oct 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
İlker Demir principal investigator
Inonu University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Home Exercise Program and Telerehabilitation-Based Exercise Program in people with Lumbar Disc Herniation, run by Hasan Kalyoncu University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 22 Oct 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change in Functional Disability Assessed by the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) (time frame: Baseline and 8 weeks). The study lists 4 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 22 Oct 2026.