Clinical Effects of Moxibustion Combined With Tailored Baduanjin Exercise Programs on Early Postoperative Rehabilitation in Lumbar Disc Herniation Patients Undergoing Minimally Invasive Surgery

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

• Ages 18 years and older
• All sexes
• No healthy volunteers
• Adult, Older adult

Trial locations and contacts

No sites are listed yet. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

About this study

Conditions

Lumbar Disc Herniations

Being tested

Baduanjin, Moxibustion, Conventional intervention

Medical subject headings

Intervertebral Disc Displacement

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

• BaduanjinProcedure or surgery

  The Baduanjin protocol, based on China's 2003 General Administration of Sport standard, was modified by professional physiotherapists for targeted adaptations, with nurses receiving specialized training. Patients viewed step-by-step instructional clips upon admission alongside a full-length routine video. Standard postoperative rehabilitation was maintained during Weeks 1-2. At Week 3, patients demonstrating adequate wound healing and unimpaired static lumbar muscle contraction performed Baduanjin exercises wearing a lumbar brace, supervised by trained nurses for movement correction. The brace was discontinued after 8 weeks. Modified professional videos with background music were distributed via WeChat/official accounts twice daily (30min/session, 5 days/week) for 13 weeks (total ≥2000min). Duration/frequency adjustments were permitted based on individual recovery and physician recommendations post-intervention.

• MoxibustionProcedure or surgery

  Moxibustion was performed at acupoints including Yaoyangguan (GV3), Shenshu (BL23), Dachangshu (BL25, affected side), Chengfu (BL36), Mingmen (GV4), Weizhong (BL40, affected side), Taixi (KI3), Fuliu (KI7), Zhishi (BL52), Zusanli (ST36), and Ashi points. Using five-year-aged Qizhou mugwort, the patient's treatment areas were fully exposed in a comfortable position. The moxa stick was held 3-4 cm from the skin with intensity adjusted to patient tolerance to prevent burns. The circular moxibustion technique was applied for 3-5 minutes per acupoint until the skin exhibited erythema, perspiration, or mottling, or until the patient experienced warmth, distension, itchiness, or perceived moxa-heat propagation. Treatment commenced at postoperative Week 3 following evaluation of satisfactory wound healing, administered three times weekly for four consecutive weeks.

• Conventional interventionProcedure or surgery

  Postoperative Rehabilitation Exercises: Week 1: Ankle Pump Exercises: Start after anesthesia. Slowly rotate/invert, dorsiflex/plantarflex ankles. Hold each position 10-15s. 30 min/set, 6 sets/day, until ambulation. Straight Leg Raising (SLR): Start Day 2, supine. Elevate leg >30°. Progress from passive to active hold. Hold 5-10s/rep, 10-20 reps/set. 3 sets (morning/noon/night) daily for 15 days. Week 2: Supine hip/knee flexion exercises in bed. Hold each flexion 3-5s. 30-50 reps/set. 2 sets/day. Weeks 3-4: Start back muscle training (e.g., bridge/bird-dog poses). Months 1-3: Gradually increase back exercise frequency/difficulty. Perform flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and rotation wearing a lumbar brace. Intensity/reps based on tolerance.

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

1. Japanese Orthopaedic Society,JOA

   JOA consists of three sections: daily life (0-14 points), subjective symptoms (0-9 points), and objective symptoms (0-6 points), with a total score of 29 points. The lower the score, the more obvious the functional impairment. The treatment improvement rate and efficacy are calculated based on the JOA score, using the formula: [(post-treatment score - pre-treatment score) ÷ (29 - pre-treatment score)] x 100%. Among them, an improvement rate of ≥ 75% is considered excellent; 50% - 74% is considered good; 25% - 49% is considered moderate improvement; 0% - 24% is considered poor. The efficacy judgment standard for the improvement rate is as follows: when the improvement rate is 100%, it is considered cured; when the improvement rate is greater than 60%, it is considered marked improvement; when it is 25% - 60%, it is considered effective; and when it is less than 25%, it is considered ineffective.

   Measured: The 1st day after the operation, 1 month after the operation, 3 months after the operation

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

1. First posted11 Jun 2025
2. Study start1 Jun 2025 (estimated)
3. Primary completion30 Sep 2026 (estimated)
4. Study completion30 Dec 2026 (estimated)

Resources

• Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
• Other trials for Lumbar Disc HerniationsStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
• What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.