Postoperative Physical Therapy for Cervical Total Disc Replacement: A Case Report.
Leana Mosesian, Joseph M Derian, Grant D Shifflett and 1 others
PMID 40469641WHAT IT FOUND
A single athlete returned to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu 12 weeks after two-level cervical disc replacement.
He completed 14 physical therapy sessions over 16 weeks, focusing on gradual strength and mobility. While he reported no pain and full function at one year, this is one case, not proof of efficacy.
Key findings
01The subject returned to full contact Brazilian Jiu Jitsu after 12 weeks, following a 16-week, 14-session physical therapy program.
02Pain and disability scores improved significantly, with the Neck Disability Index dropping from 12% to 0% and pain reaching 0/10.
03No adverse events, such as re-herniation or implant failure, occurred during the one-year follow-up period.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
This is a single case report, so results cannot be generalized to other patients. There was no control group, so the natural healing process cannot be distinguished from the effect of physical therapy. The subject was young, highly motivated, and had no comorbidities like smoking or diabetes, which may have influenced the positive outcome. The one-year mental health score declined, but the reason was not investigated. The study lacked a patient perspective, as it was written after discharge.
Declared interests
One author has consulting relationships with SI-Bone Inc and Clinical Pattern Recognition LLC. Another author has a consulting relationship with ZimVie Spine.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume this timeline applies to all patients. The subject was a young, healthy athlete with no comorbidities, and the study did not compare physical therapy to no physical therapy. The positive outcome may reflect natural healing or individual factors rather than the specific intervention.