Measuring Long-Term Outcomes After Degenerative Spine Surgery: Is It Time for Something New? A Smartphone-Based Analysis of 60 753 Days of Objective Mobility Data.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: PROMs. METHODS: . Linear mixed-effects models evaluated mobility changes, expressed as SD units relative to baseline. Likewise, correlations between mobility and PROMs were performed, including: Oswestry Disability Index, Neck Disability Index, Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain, and Patient Health Questionnaire-9. RESULTS: : Among lumbar patients, mobility improvements correlated with lower/better Oswestry Disability Index, VAS-leg pain, and VAS-back pain (all r ≤ -0.40). In cervical patients, improved step count and walking distance correlated with lower/better Neck Disability Index, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and VAS-neck pain (all r ≤ -0.40). CONCLUSION: functionality, pain, and mood. Smartphones may therefore assist surgeons in data-driven patient counseling and early identification of atypical recovery trajectories.