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Review
. 2025 Mar;13(2):383-390.
doi: 10.1007/s43390-024-01010-x. Epub 2024 Dec 1.

Guidelines for returning to activity after spinal deformity surgery

Joel D Turtle  1 , Jwalant S Mehta  2 , Stefan Parent  3 , Grace X Xiong  4 , Jason Py Cheung  5 , Michelle C Welborn  6 , Alex R Vaccaro  4 , Patrick J Cahill  1 , Ferran Pellisé  7 , Serena S Hu  8
Affiliations
Review

Guidelines for returning to activity after spinal deformity surgery

Joel D Turtle et al. Spine Deform. 2025 Mar.

Abstract

Returning to activity after spinal deformity surgery is vital for patient recovery and long-term health, yet there is significant variability in postoperative protocols among surgeons worldwide. This paper aims to define guidelines for returning to activity across diverse patient groups: early onset scoliosis (EOS), adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), young adults, adult spinal deformity (ASD), elite athletes, and general sports participants. This paper provides guidelines to foster a unified approach to postoperative care, improving outcomes and ensuring patients can safely and effectively resume their activities. This paper represents the proceedings of an SRS educational CME webinar. A summary of recommendations for each patient group is included aiming to enhance surgeon practice and patient care through standardized postoperative protocols.

Keywords: Return to activities; Spinal deformity surgery; Sports.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Conflict of interest: Drs. Turtle, Xiong, and Cheung have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose. Dr. Cahill declares no financial interests. Dr. Parent receives royalties from EOS imaging, is the co-founder of the company Spinologics Inc., and has received grants from DePuy Synthes Spine, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America, Scoliosis Research Society, Medtronic, EOS imaging, Setting Scoliosis Straight Foundation, and Fonds de recherche Québec – Santé. Dr. Parent is consultant to DePuy Synthes Spine and has received fellowship support from DePuy Synthes, Orthopediatrics and Medtronic. Drs. Vaccaro and Hu have stock or stock options in Globus and Nuvasive. Dr. Vaccaro receives royalties from Stryker, Globus, Medtronic, Atlas, Alphatech Spine, Elsevier, Jaypee, Taylor Francis/Hodder and Stoughton, and Thieme. Dr. Welborn reports research grants from POSNA and Shriners Hospital for Children, during the conduct of the study; as well as personal fees from Depuy Synthes, Nuvasive, SeaSpine, Stryker/K2M, ZimVie, Orthopediatrics, and AstraZeneca outside of the submitted work. Dr. Vaccaro has stock or stock options in Accelus, Advanced Spinal Intellectual Properties, Atlas, Avaz Surgical, AVKN Patient Driven Care, Cytonics, Deep Health, Dimension Orthotics LLC, Electocore, Flagship Surgical, FlowPharma, Harvard MedTech, Innovative Surgical Design, Jushi (Haywood), Orthobullets, Parvizi Surgical Innovation, Progressive Spinal Technologies, Replication Medica, Sentryx, Stout Medical, ViewFi Health. Dr. Vaccaro is consultant to Globus. Dr. Pellisé receives research funds from Medtronic, DePuy Spine Synthes, Nuvasive, Orthofix, and SpineArt, and receives consultant fees from Medtronic and Nuvasive. Dr. Parent is the holder of the Academic Chair in Pediatric Spinal Deformities of CHU Ste-Justine and is an unpaid member of the speaker bureau of Orthopaediatrics. Dr. Cahill is an unpaid member of the Scoliosis Research Society, and Dr. Hu is on the board of directors of the Scoliosis Research Society and receives no compensation as a member of the board of directors. Dr. Cahill is an unpaid member of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America and is an unpaid member of the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. Dr. Pellisé is an unpaid member of the AOSpine Deformity Knowledge Forum Steering Committee, holds a secretary position and a Governance Council chair for SRS, is the president of the European Spine Study Group, and is on the editorial board for European Spine and Spine Deformity journals.

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