Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate, using the Biodex B2000 isokinetic dynamometer (Biodex Corp., Shirley, NY), differences between surgical and nonsurgical back-injured patients referred to a functional restoration facility by an orthopedic surgeon for physical therapy. Return-to-employment information and other pertinent therapeutic data were also tabulated. The subjects were 12 patients who had recently undergone back surgery and 44 nonsurgical patients presenting with a chief complaint of mechanical low-back pain. Data of the two groups were factored and compared using paired t tests with 0.05 chosen as the level of significance. Pretherapy and posttherapy isokinetic data for the nonsurgical group were all found to be significant, with the exception of flexion variance (p = 0.159). The surgical group made substantial progress in all isokinetic parameters and significant progress with peak extension, total extension, and extension as a percentage of body weight (p < 0.0044). It was concluded that trunk force production strength can be increased through a highly structured, medically directed functional restoration program and a high level of return to work achieved.