Struggling to walk without pain? You’re not alone. Lumbar spinal stenosis—a condition that often causes leg pain, numbness, weakness, and difficulty walking—can take a serious toll on daily life.

While decompression surgery is a common treatment, it doesn’t always bring relief. Some patients feel better. Others don’t. And right now, no one knows why. There’s no clear evidence that removing bone or ligament truly helps.

That’s why researchers are studying whether decompression surgery is a safe, more effective, and cost-efficient option to non-surgical intervention.

Interested in helping with research for lumbar spinal stenosis? See if this study might be right for you.

• Participants will receive surgery at no cost.
• Surgery will be performed by a consultant surgeon.
• Participants will get close medical follow-up post-surgery for two years
• Some will have traditional decompression surgery, while others will have a similar surgery without the removal of bone and ligament in the spine. Participants will not know which group they’re in, and this helps researchers learn what can be safer and more effective for everyone.
• Participants can be reimbursed up to a maximum of $150 AUD for reasonable travel expenses—just provide your receipts.
• Participants will be followed up every 3 months by researchers who will discuss recovery, pain, and any health issues the participant may have had.
• The researchers maintain close communication with the surgical teams throughout the study, ensuring that participant safety is paramount.
• Participants will play a key role in shaping a better understanding of people living with symptomatic lumbar spinal stenosis.

• You will receive a detailed outline of all details of the study, including treatment, risks, and procedures, and you will be given the chance to ask study staff questions before you decide whether to participate.
• If you decide to participate in the study and later feel that you no longer wish to be part of it, you can withdraw at any time
• Your records relating to this study and any other information received will be kept strictly confidential, except as required by the law.

Eligible:

• Men and women aged 40 or older who have experienced symptoms of neurogenic claudication, such as aching, numbness, or tiredness in the legs or buttocks that:
  • Start when standing or walking
  • Are relieved by sitting down or bending forward
  • Their pain must be:
    • More severe in the legs than in the back, and may affect one or both legs
• Participants must have tried non-surgical treatments that did not help, or are unsure if they helped
• Participants must be willing to complete a participant diary, which collects the information required to help answer our questions over 24 months, and have the time to speak with researchers every 3 months for 2 years.

Ineligible:

• Must not have had previous lumbar spine surgery at the same level
• Must not have difficulty with muscle control that affects their ability to walk
• Must not be currently receiving workers’ compensation benefits
• Must not be participating in another clinical trial
• Must not have other spinal or hip conditions that contribute to their symptoms

This research study is taking place in several locations. To see if there is a research site near you, please see below.

Trial Sponsor: The University of Sydney
Coordinating Research Centre: The George Institute for Global Health (RS)
Location: Level 8, 55 Botany Street, Randwick, New South Wales 2031, Australia
Chief Investigator: Professor Manuela Ferreira
Professor Ferreira is an NHMRC Investigator Fellow, Professor of Musculoskeletal Health and Program Head, Musculoskeletal Health, at The George Institute for Global Health, where she conducts research on the mechanisms, prognosis, and management of musculoskeletal disorders with a focus on low back pain. Before joining The George Institute, she was Professor of Musculoskeletal Health at the University of Sydney, where she was inaugural chair of the Musculoskeletal Priority Research Area (+80 researchers) at the Kolling Institute, and co-chair of the Musculoskeletal Clinical Advisory Group of Sydney Health Partners (an NHMRC, Sydney University and health district research translation partnership). With +320 scientific publications, and +AUD30M in research funding, she is the 2nd highest ranked researcher in the world for ‘low back pain’ (of a total of 33,000 authors worldwide – Expertscape). She currently leads multiple randomised controlled trials of musculoskeletal interventions, including the first placebo randomised controlled trial of spinal surgery, an NHMRC-funded study that will establish the efficacy of decompressive surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis.

Research Site: Prince of Wales Hospital
Location: Randwick, NSW
Principal Investigator: Dr Stanford

Research Site: Prince of Wales Private Hospital
Location: Randwick, NSW
Principal Investigator: Dr Mobbs

Research Site: Concord Patriation General Hospital
Location: Concord, NSW
Principal Investigator: Dr Van Gelder

Research Site: Sydney Southwest Private Hospital
Location: Liverpool, NSW
Principal Investigator: Dr Van Gelder

Research Site: Liverpool Hospital
Location: Liverpool, NSW
Principal Investigator: Dr Van Gelder

Research Site: Austin Hospital
Location: Heidelberg, VIC
Principal Investigator: Dr Davis

Research Site: Cabrini Health
Location: Malvern, VIC
Principal Investigator: Dr Davis

Research Site: The Wollongong Hospital
Location: Wollongong, NSW
Principal Investigator: Dr Jaeger

Research Site: Wollongong Private Hospital
Location: Wollongong, NSW
Principal Investigator: Dr Jaeger

This study has been reviewed and approved by the South East Sydney Local Health District HREC (2019/ETH05003).