Summary

A study of the percentage of elderly patients who returned to sports after elective spine surgery found that 43% of the patients who returned were highly satisfied, and more than half of the patients participated in sports activities at least three times per week, with no statistically significant differences by surgical site, age, or gender.

Abstract

Purpose

The elderly population has been growing, especially in advanced countries, and the number of elderly patients undergoing spine surgery has been increasing accordingly. The number of elderly sports fans has been also rising due to the extension of healthy life expectancy, and their possibility to return to sports has become also important in decision making when they undergo surgery. However, there is a lack of data in the current literature regarding rates of return to recreational sporting activities following elective spine surgery. This study was undertaken to investigate return to sports after elective spinal surgery in an elderly population.

Methods

This study included 118 patients who underwent elective spine surgery at a single institution and visited the outpatient clinic 12 months or later after surgery between 2019 and 2021. Questionnaires were administered to assess postoperative return to sports availability, timing of return, frequency and type of pre- and post-operative activities, and satisfaction with return (1-10). Finally, 49 patients (mean age 73.8 ± 4.9 years, 23 women) with a follow-up period of at least 65 years of age at the time of surgery and a history of pre-operative or pre-disease sports activity were recruited. Descriptive statistical analysis focused on the influence of patients’ sex, age, and surgical site and regression models were fitted to assess predictors of return to sports.

Results

Of the 49 patients, 21 (42.9%) returned to sports. Thirty-two patients underwent lumbar spine surgery, and 15 patients underwent cervical spine surgery. The return to sports rate by surgical site was 16/32 (50%) for the lumbar spine and 15/21 (71%) for the cervical spine, however, logistic regression analysis showed no statistically significant difference. In terms of overall sports, 8 of the 10 patients returned to swimming, 5 of the 7 to golf, 4 of the 6 to dance, and 1 of the 5 to tennis. The median [IQR] time to return to sports was 6 [2-6] months. The most frequent postoperative sports activity was 5 times per week (38.1%), followed by 3 times per week (28.5%). Median [IQR] satisfaction scale with return to sports after surgery was 7 [2-8].

Conclusion

43% of patients achieved return to sports after elective spinal surgery, and those who did were highly satisfied. More than half of the patients participated in sports activities at least three times a week. There were no statistically significant differences by surgical site, age, or gender.