Does spine surgery work? Answering this question is the goal of a nationwide study that compares results of patients who received non-surgical treatment with those who underwent surgery. The answer, according to early results, is yes.

The study is called SPORT, Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial. It began five years ago, and earlier this year the first results were released. Patients included in the study suffered from a herniated disc, spinal stenosis, degenerative disease, or low back pain.

A summary of the results that were reported in Orthopaedics This Week: “The patients who had surgery reported a statistically significant improvement in bodily pain, physical function, disability and sciatica over those who did not have surgery.”

It’s important to note that non-surgical, conservative treatment of back pain or injuries always is first explored before surgery. Non-surgical options at Lincoln Orthopaedic Center, for example, include physical therapy, exercise, and cortisone injections. Surgery is the last treatment option. But when surgery is necessary, the study shows, it can be highly effective at relieving pain and restoring the health of a patient.