Table 2.
Characteristics of the study sample
| Participant characteristics | All participants (n = 154) | Nonoperative participants only (n = 128) |
|---|---|---|
| Sociodemographics and medical history | ||
| Age (years) | 52.9 (13.4) | 53.7 (13.3) |
| Male sex | 105 (68.2%) | 83 (64.8%) |
| Duration of symptoms (weeks) | 4.9 (3.0) | 5.0 (3.1) |
| Prior low back pain history | 116 (75.3%) | 92 (71.9%) |
| Workers compensation | 10 (6.5%) | 10 (7.8%) |
| Cigarette smoking | 30 (19.5%) | 26 (20.3%) |
| Medical comorbidities*,† | 2.8 (3.3) | 2.8 (3.3) |
| Clinical factors at baseline | ||
| Visual analog scale leg painǂ (0–10) | 7.0 (2.4) | 6.8 (2.5) |
| Visual analog scale back painǂ (0–10) | 5.1 (3.3) | 4.9 (3.2) |
| Oswestry Disability Index† (0–100) | 51 (21) | 50 (20) |
| Positive straight leg raise | 66 (42.9%) | 47 (36.7%) |
| Positive crossed straight leg raise§ | 11 (7.1%) | 7 (5.5%) |
| Positive femoral stretch test | 33 (21.4%) | 28 (21.9%) |
| Any muscle weakness | 95 (61.7%) | 81 (63.3%) |
| Any impaired reflexes | 55 (35.7%) | 45 (35.2%) |
| Herniation characteristics on MRI | ||
| Foraminal or extraforaminal location | 53 (34.4%) | 48 (37.5%) |
| Herniation morphology | ||
| Extrusion | 98 (63.6%) | 82 (64.1%) |
| Sequestration | 14 (9.1%) | 11 (8.6%) |
* Self-Acquired Comorbidity Questionnaire (total score) [13]; †4 participants with missing data; ǂ1 participant with missing data; §2 participants with missing data.