Rehabilitation article
Preparing for lumbar spine surgery: what prehabilitation evidence can and cannot say
Preparation can be useful, but current spine evidence remains low-certainty and inconsistent.
Published: 7/12/2026
Author: Habilis editorial team
What to focus on
Preparation may include procedure education, planning support, maintaining suitable activity and practising postoperative routines.
Pace the work
Avoid interpreting generic prehab as permission to test symptoms or override restrictions.
Keep expectations realistic
Reviews report small or unclear effects, with very-low- to low-certainty estimates and varied programmes.
When individual guidance matters
Let the spine team define precautions and whether exercise is suitable for your diagnosis.
Practical takeaways
- Use preparation to reduce uncertainty.
- Treat outcome claims cautiously.
- Follow diagnosis-specific advice.
Related programmes
Scientific backing
Review
2021
Prehabilitation before lumbar spine surgery: 2021 review
Very-low- to low-certainty evidence showed no clear additional benefit for CBT programmes, and exercise evidence was too limited for firm conclusions.
Janssen ER et al.
Review
2025
Prehabilitation before elective lumbar spine surgery: 2025 review
Some small benefits were reported, but heterogeneous diagnoses, interventions and small samples left the overall estimates very uncertain.
Oliveira LA et al.