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World J Orthop. May 18, 2026; 17(5): 115690
Published online May 18, 2026. doi: 10.5312/wjo.v17.i5.115690
Published online May 18, 2026. doi: 10.5312/wjo.v17.i5.115690
Letter to the Editor: Beyond the dichotomy: Integrating precision rehabilitation, patient-centered goals, and nursing leadership in lumbar spinal stenosis care
Li Liu, Department of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Women and Children’s Medical Center Affiliated to Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510120, Guangdong Province, China
Hai-Sheng Hu, Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Center for Respiratory Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, Guangzhou 510120, Guangdong Province, China
Co-corresponding authors: Li Liu and Hai-Sheng Hu.
Author contributions: Liu L and Hu HS contributed equally to this manuscript and are co-corresponding authors. Hu HS designed the overall concept and outline of the manuscript; Liu L contributed to the writing and editing of the manuscript and illustrations of literature.
AI contribution statement: AI tools were used solely for linguistic refinement. No AI tool was involved in the generation of research data, interpretation of results, or formulation of conclusions. All AI-generated outputs were critically reviewed and revised by the authors.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Corresponding author: Li Liu, Department of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Women and Children’s Medical Center Affiliated to Guangzhou Medical University, No. 9 Jinsui Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510120, Guangdong Province, China. 18818408934@163.com
Received: October 24, 2025
Revised: December 3, 2025
Accepted: January 14, 2026
Published online: May 18, 2026
Processing time: 207 Days and 7.7 Hours
Revised: December 3, 2025
Accepted: January 14, 2026
Published online: May 18, 2026
Processing time: 207 Days and 7.7 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: The management of lumbar spinal stenosis should shift from a binary choice to an integrated, precision-based stepped-care pathway. All patients begin with nurse-coordinated conservative care, including tailored physical therapy and biopsychosocial support. Surgery is reserved for those who do not achieve personal functional goals after this optimized nonoperative phase. This model enhances resource efficiency, minimizes surgical risks, and establishes nursing leadership as central to personalized assessment, education, and care coordination, ensuring treatment aligns with patient-centered outcomes.