Mindfulness vs. Physiotherapy vs. Medical Therapy: Uncovering the Best Postoperative Recovery Method for Low Back Surgery Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Single Institution’s Experience

Abstract

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of mindfulness therapy compared to traditional physiotherapy and usual care in alleviating postoperative pain and improving functional outcomes in patients undergoing lumbar spine surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Ninety patients undergoing lumbar decompression and fusion (LDF) who presented persistent low back pain after surgery were prospectively followed for one year. They were randomly divided into three groups: mindfulness therapy, physiotherapy, and medical therapy. The primary outcome was the improvement of the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) score postoperatively and at six months follow-up. Results: Both mindfulness and physiotherapy groups showed significant improvement in ODI scores compared to the control group, with mean variations of 10.6 and 11.6 points, respectively, versus 4.9 points in the control group. There was no significant difference between mindfulness and physiotherapy (p = 0.52), but both were superior to medical care (p < 0.0001 for physiotherapy and p = 0.0007 for mindfulness). Conclusions: This study demonstrated that mindfulness therapy is more effective than usual care in improving postoperative outcomes for patients undergoing lumbar spine surgery. In our cohort, its efficacy was comparable to that of physiotherapy, making it a viable alternative, especially when access to healthcare services is restricted, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. Future research should validate the findings of this study and examine the long-term effects on surgical patient populations.