Comparison of the Effects of Body Mechanics Education Methods on Pain, Disability, and Quality of Life: A Randomized Controlled Study

Background: Educating patients undergoing surgery for LDH is important to maintain the proper performance of body mechanics.Purpose: The study compared the effects of standard, brochure-based, and video-based education on postoperative pain, disability, and the quality of life in patients undergoing surgery for lumbar disc herniation.Design: This was a randomized controlled study.Settings: The study was conducted in the Department of Neurosurgery of a training and research hospital in Turkey.Participants/subjects: Sixty patients (n = 20 control, n = 20 video, n = 20 brochure) undergoing surgery for LDH who volunteered to participate.Methods: The study was carried out between 15 January and 30 July 2017. The data were collected preoperatively and postoperatively using the Patients' Characteristics Form, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ), Physical Functioning and Bodily Pain subscales of the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36-Item Health Survey (SF-36) and the Survey of Patient Satisfaction with Clinical Education and Materials.Results: All three groups were similar in terms of socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. Preoperative scores obtained from the ODI, SF-MPQ, and the two subscales of the SF-36 were not significantly different. However, there was a statistically significant difference between the video group (81.5 +/- 24.3) and the control group (67.7 +/- 18.6) in terms of the Physical Functioning subscale of the SF-36 in the postoperative period (p< .05).Conclusions: Preoperative education on body mechanics increases the physical functioning of patients with LDH and facilitates the integration of information into their daily activities.