Rehab Protocols

The largest free clinical library for physical therapists — protocols & guidelines.

Clinical Reference Only: Protocols are cataloged from third-party sources and provided for reference only. Treating clinicians must verify current accuracy and follow the operative report and surgeon's specific instructions.
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Spine Rehabilitation Protocols

Spine rehabilitation protocols span lumbar microdiscectomy, lumbar spinal fusion (ALIF, PLIF, TLIF), cervical discectomy and fusion, laminectomy, and non-operative lumbar stabilization programs. This section includes both surgical and conservative management protocols from academic spine centers and orthopedic practices.

40 protocols · Search and filter all spine protocols →

Browse Spine protocols by surgery type

Cervical ACDF 4 Lumbar Laminectomy 4 Lumbar Microdiscectomy 4 Lumbar Spinal Fusion 4 Cervical Disc Arthroplasty 3
Cervical ACDF — Post-Op Cervical Fusion
Advanced Orthopedics and Sports Medicine (Houston Spine Surgeon)
Dr. Jeffrey H. Oppenheimer MD
 Cervical ACDF — ACDF Post-Op
Axis Spine Center
Axis Spine Physical Therapy Team · August 2021
 Cervical ACDF — Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF)
Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
Julia Rose EdD PA-C; OSU Neurological Surgery / Orthopaedic Surgery ·…
 Cervical ACDF — Cervical Fusion (Anterior and Posterior)
Ortho Illinois / Rockford Orthopedic Spine Care
Dr. Issada Thongtrangan MD; Dr. Brian Braaksma MD · October 2014
 Cervical Corpectomy — Anterior Cervical Corpectomy
Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
Jordan Hudson DPT, Sean Meers DPT; Reviewed by Andrew Grossbach MD…
 Cervical Disc Arthroplasty — Cervical Disc Replacement Post-Op
Advanced Health and Sports Medicine Physiotherapy (AHSMP)
AHSMP Clinical Team (Sydney, Australia) · May 2023
 Cervical Disc Arthroplasty — ACDA (Anterior Cervical Disc Arthroplasty)
Axis Spine Center
Axis Spine Physical Therapy Team · August 2021
 Cervical Disc Arthroplasty — (CDA / Total Disc Replacement)
Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
Julia Rose EdD PA-C; OSU Neurological Surgery / Orthopaedic Surgery ·…
 Cervical Laminectomy — Post-Op
Advanced Health and Sports Medicine Physiotherapy (AHSMP)
AHSMP Clinical Team (Sydney, Australia) · May 2023
 Cervical Laminectomy — Post-Op Cervical Laminoplasty / Discectomy
Advanced Orthopedics and Sports Medicine (Houston Spine Surgeon)
Dr. Jeffrey H. Oppenheimer MD
 Cervical Posterior Fusion — Cervical Posterior Spinal Instrumented Fusion (PSIF)
Axis Spine Center
Axis Spine Physical Therapy Team · August 2021
 Cervical Posterior Fusion
Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
Jordan Hudson DPT, Sean Meers DPT; Reviewed by Andrew Grossbach MD…
 Cervical Spinal Fusion
Lahey Hospital & Medical Center
M. Murphy PT DPT, N. Shah PT DPT, R.G. Whitmore MD · 2021-02
 Kyphoplasty — Post-Op Kyphoplasty / Vertebroplasty
Advanced Orthopedics and Sports Medicine (Houston Spine Surgeon)
Dr. Jeffrey H. Oppenheimer MD
 Kyphoplasty
Axis Spine Center
Axis Spine Physical Therapy Team · August 2021
 Non-Operative — Low Back Pain — Mobility Deficits (Non-Operative)
Massachusetts General Hospital
MGH Sports Medicine · April 2025
 Lumbar Disc Arthroplasty — Post-Op Lumbar Artificial Disc Replacement
Advanced Orthopedics and Sports Medicine (Houston Spine Surgeon)
Dr. Jeffrey H. Oppenheimer MD
 Non-Operative — Lumbar Disc Displacement / Herniation (Non-Operative)
Massachusetts General Hospital
MGH Sports Medicine · March 2025
 Lumbar Laminectomy — POST-OP Rehabilitation
Advanced Health and Sports Medicine Physiotherapy (AHSMP)
AHSMP Clinical Team (Sydney, Australia) · May 2023
 Lumbar Laminectomy — Post-Op Lumbar Laminectomy / Discectomy
Advanced Orthopedics and Sports Medicine (Houston Spine Surgeon)
Dr. Jeffrey H. Oppenheimer MD
 Lumbar Laminectomy — / Decompression
Axis Spine Center
Axis Spine Physical Therapy Team · August 2021
 Lumbar Laminectomy — / Decompression
Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
Dr. Jordan Hudson; Dr. Sean Meers; Dr. Andrew Grossbach MD; Dr…
 Lumbar Microdiscectomy — Lumbar Discectomy
Advanced Health and Sports Medicine Physiotherapy (AHSMP)
AHSMP Clinical Team (Sydney, Australia) · May 2023
 Lumbar Microdiscectomy — / Discectomy
Axis Spine Center
Axis Spine Physical Therapy Team · August 2021
 Lumbar Microdiscectomy — Post-Operative Spine Surgery (Laminectomy / Discectomy / Fusion)
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Dept. of Rehabilitation Services · 2019
 Lumbar Microdiscectomy — / Discectomy
Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
Julia Rose EdD PA-C; OSU Neurological Surgery / Orthopaedic Surgery ·…
 Lumbar Spinal Fusion — Post-Op Lumbar Fusion
Advanced Orthopedics and Sports Medicine (Houston Spine Surgeon)
Dr. Jeffrey H. Oppenheimer MD
 Lumbar Spinal Fusion — Lumbar Fusion (PSIF / ALIF / LLIF / TLIF)
Axis Spine Center
Axis Spine Physical Therapy Team · August 2021
 Lumbar Spinal Fusion
Lahey Hospital & Medical Center
M. Murphy PT DPT OCS, R.G. Whitmore MD · 2019-10
 Lumbar Spinal Fusion — TLIF / Posterior Lumbar Fusion
Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
Julia Rose EdD PA-C; OSU Neurological Surgery / Orthopaedic Surgery ·…
 Non-Operative — Lumbar Spinal Stenosis (Non-Operative)
Massachusetts General Hospital
MGH Sports Medicine · March 2025
 Non-Operative — Lumbar Spondylolysis / Spondylolisthesis (Non-Operative)
Sanford Health
02/2024
 Non-Operative — Lumbar Spondylolysis / Spondylolisthesis (Acute & Chronic Non-Operative)
UW Health Sports Medicine
Julie Sherry, DPT, MS; Marc Sherry, DPT, LAT, CSCS; Scott Tauferner…
 Non-Operative — Lumbar Spondylosis / Degenerative Changes (Non-Operative)
Massachusetts General Hospital
MGH Sports Medicine · January 2025
 Non-Operative — Postural Back Pain — Conservative Management (Youth Athlete)
Massachusetts General Hospital
MGH Brigham Pediatric Sports Medicine · 2024-06
 SI Joint Fusion
Axis Spine Center
Axis Spine Physical Therapy Team · August 2021
 Non-Operative — Spinal Instability / Spondylolysis (Non-Operative)
Massachusetts General Hospital
MGH Sports Medicine · January 2025
 Non-Operative — Spondylolysis / Spondylolisthesis — Conservative Management (Youth Athlete)
Massachusetts General Hospital
MGH Brigham Pediatric Sports Medicine · 2024-06
 Thoracolumbar Spinal Fusion — Posterior Thoracic-Lumbar Fusion (Spinal Deformity)
Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
Jordan Hudson DPT, Sean Meers DPT; Reviewed by Andrew Grossbach MD…
 Vertebral Compression Fracture — Vertebral Augmentation Post-Op (Kyphoplasty / Vertebroplasty)
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Dept. of Rehabilitation Services · 2011