Objective: To describe the experience of health among pa tients 3 years after treatment with a structured physiothera py model or surgery for lumbar disc herniation. Design: A qualitative research study. Subjects/patients: Patients were referred to the orthopaedic clinic at Sahlgrenska University Hospital with sciatica due to lumbar disc herniation. Twenty patients who were eligi ble for surgery were treated either with a structured physio therapy model or with surgery. Methods: Openended interviews were conducted and ana lysed using content analysis. Results: Findings were grouped into two themes: feeling of wellbeing and feeling of illbeing. In the group treated with structured physiotherapy there were a high number of codes in the feeling of wellbeing theme. In the group treated with surgery there were a high number of codes in the feeling of illbeing theme. Conclusion: Patients treated with structured physiotherapy or surgery experienced feelings of wellbeing and illbeing 3 years after treatment. Patients treated with physiotherapy and surgery described varying experiences of health 3 years after treatment for lumbar disc herniation. It can be specu lated that the experience of wellbeing may be explained by the ability of structured physiotherapy treatments to em power patients.