Objective To explore the impact of the nursing intervention program based on the common-sense model of self-regulation on kinesiophobia in middle-aged and elderly patients with lumbar disc herniation after surgery.

Methods A total of 100 middle-aged and elderly patients with kinesiophobia after lumbar disc herniation surgery were selected as the research subjects, and divided into an intervention group and a control group by the random number table method, with 50 cases in each group.The control group received routine nursing care, while the intervention group received the nursing intervention program based on the common-sense model of self-regulation on the basis of routine nursing care.The scores of the numerical rating scale (NRS) for pain, Tampa scale for kinesiophobia (TSK), exercise adherence rating scale (EARS), and Japanese Orthopaedic Association low back pain rating scale (JOA) of the two groups were compared before, at discharge, and 1 month and 3 months after surgery.

Results The NRS and TSK scores in the intervention group before intervention, 1 month after surgery, and 3 months after surgery were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05 to P < 0.01), and the EARS and JOA scores were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.01).

Conclusions The nursing intervention program based on the common-sense model of self-regulation can relieve pain, alleviate kinesiophobia, improve exercise compliance, and effectively improve physical function in middle-aged and elderly patients with lumbar disc herniation after surgery.