Thirty-six-year-old Kathleen Smith of Maryland has been a hardcore athlete her entire life. She started softball at age four and played through college. Back pain has always been a part of her life since at least middle school, but athletic trainers helped her manage it while she was on a team. After college, she moved…
As if back surgery wasn’t terrifying enough, many people are also scared to ask surgeons the hard-pressing questions about their surgery. A lot of these important, real-life topics and questions touch on sensitive matters, which contributes to the embarrassment surrounding these concerns. These questions often go unasked or are saved for the Physician Assistants, which…
Sciatica is an incredibly common cause of pain — as many as 40% of people experience it in their lives and it commonly occurs with age. Despite its widespread effect, sciatica is not well understood. In addition to working with a spine specialist and learning about this condition, regular stretching is a great practice you…
Modern spine surgery bears almost no resemblance to the spine surgery your parents or grandparents had. Innovation and technological advances have drastically transformed the field. So what does that mean for patients? How different are things today? Wendell and Katie Sissler are uniquely positioned to help tell this story. The father/daughter duo had spine surgeries…
Recovering from surgery can be a fairly predictable journey. But not always. Sometimes it’s more of a rollercoaster. When that happens, it can be disappointing, frustrating and even painful. One of my patients, Dori, discovered that after she underwent spine surgery. “Generally most people have a pretty linear, upward trajectory of recovery and I assumed…
More people than ever are turning to weight lifting and bodybuilding — nearly 200% more year over year! Weight lifting and strength training come with a ton of health benefits — when done correctly. But injury is also common given the demands of the sport and a common question that comes along with that is…
For Valentine’s Day this year, I want to share a powerful love story — not the kind that focuses on first dates, first kisses or over-the-top marriage proposals. I’m talking about partners in pain — and how you help the one you love when debilitating back pain takes over their life. 80% of Americans experience…
Many people have preconceived notions about spinal fusion surgery. Maybe you remember your parents or grandparents having one. If so — you likely think of an open-back surgery with a long recovery time, a lot of pain and restricted movement. But that was then and this is now. In today’s era of modern back surgery,…
Many people have preconceived notions about spinal fusion surgery. Maybe you remember your parents or grandparents having one. If so – you likely think of an open-back surgery with a long recovery time, a lot of pain and restricted movement. But that was then and this is now. In today’s era of modern back surgery,…
Lindsay loves to run. She does it a few times a week, a few miles at a time. It’s not only one of her favorite forms of exercise. It’s a stress relief. But her love of running was long impacted by lower back pain. She first hurt her back diving into a shallow lake in…
