Decision aid for patients considering surgery for sciatica
View our interactive decision aid for patients considering surgery for sciatica. This decision aid is most suitable for patients who:
the clinician (GP, physiotherapist, chiropractor) considers appropriate for referral to a spinal surgeon for an opinion on back surgery, or for patients who have already received a referral
have sciatica likely caused by lumbar disc herniation
have sciatic leg pain that has lasted less than 6 months (the evidence is less clear for longer durations)
You can view the clinician user guide here.
Our team recently developed an online interactive tool that helps people learn about sciatica and their treatment options. The tool also helps people with sciatica think about whether surgery is right for them. It does this by helping people reflect on what matters most. The tool was designed with patients who have experience of low back pain or sciatica, and clinicians.
For the next stage of project, we are inviting clinicians (GPs, surgeons, physiotherapists and chiropractors) and patients to help test out the tool. This will help us improve it further, and make sure it is easy to understand, easy to use, and practical for clinicians. User-testing is online and participants are reimbursed for their time. If you’re interested, please read more about the study using the links below:
