Dr. Schuler, Founder of VSI, recently spoke with Becker’s Spine Review about his experience performing cervical arthroplasty, his experience as a patient, and about the future of the field. QUESTION: After performing your first disc replacement with spinal fusion, is there anything you do differently now that you’ve had time to reflect? DR. SCHULER: The only thing I…
A cervical disc replacement can be an excellent option for many candidates, but what exactly does that mean? Often times my patients will schedule an initial consultation when they are experiencing arm pain and numbness, but their neck doesn’t necessarily hurt. This could be a sign of symptomatic nerve or spinal cord compression and may require a…
Often times one of the first non-operative treatment options your spinal specialist may recommend is a spinal injection. While not everyone benefits from these injections, some patients experience immediate relief and never progress to surgical interventions. There are many types of injections that can be utilized, so how does the doctor know which is best? It is only after…
ACL injuries are primarily non-contact and occur in sports that involve cutting, pivoting, jumping or landing.
Did you know your neck is one of the most flexible segments of your spine? Even with its flexibility, however, neck pain affects 10% of the population annually! Pain can be either localized to the cervical spine {commonly known as your neck} or it may radiate down your arm, which is referred to as “radiculopathy”. Because…
School is out for summer and you’re headed to your favorite watering hole to beat the heat — the beaches, pools, and lakes. This time of year presents back pain sufferers with an excellent exercise alternative that doesn’t usually strain or add weight to the back. Many people with low back pain can properly modify…
Disc replacement surgery continues to be one of the great, exciting developments in spinal health care. Five years of research data have shown that disc replacements outperform spinal fusions, especially when more levels of the spine are involved. When one suffers from a severe impingement of a spinal nerve or suffers from severe, intractable neck…
Knee arthritis is a chronic condition that affects people of all genders, ages, and races. It is characterized as a degeneration (or deterioration) of the knee joint space that will lead to severe pain, stiffness, tenderness, and potential swelling. There are several conservative treatments for knee pain which include physical therapy, medications, and steroid injections. Restoration of normal cartilage function is…
Walking is an excellent form of exercise; whether you are just starting to exercise, recovering from an injury or are just looking to get outside and get moving; read on for tips on how walking can improve your life and what you need to get started. Physical activity in general helps to control your weight…
Allowing your children to play sports when diagnosed with scoliosis may seem counterintuitive. Many parents worry that sports are too rough and the continuous movement will exacerbate symptoms and worsen curve progression. Exercise is actually extremely beneficial to young athletes with scoliosis and plays a large role in a successful treatment plan. It not only strengthens…
