VSI Blog

Conditions & Diagnoses

LEG LENGTH DISCREPANCY LINKED TO LOWER BACK PAIN

Have you ever been told or noticed that one of your legs is a bit longer than the other?  Do you have incidences of lower back pain?  These two things could be related.  Most individuals have a small difference in their leg lengths.  For some, the discrepancy is small and negligible and will not be [...]

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BACK PAIN, NOT JUST FOR ADULTS: UNCOVERING IDIOPATHIC SCOLIOSIS

An estimated nine out of ten people will experience back pain at some point in their lives. Though back or neck pain becomes more common as we age, it affects all ages and does not discriminate between male or female, both sexes are equally susceptible. What is Idiopathic Scoliosis? Idiopathic scoliosis is a common pediatric [...]

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ASK THE EXPERT: WHAT IS FOOT DROP AND HOW IS IT TREATED?

I was recently asked about a condition called foot drop, what the causation is and how it is treated. To start, let’s define what foot drop is; it is a term used to describe the loss of ability to pick one’s foot up.  The medical term for this is dorsiflexion of the foot or raising [...]

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TRUE STORY: MARY UNDERWENT A TLIF AND IS NOW BACK TO THE LIFE SHE LOVES

True Story: Over a period of six months, I saw numerous physicians both orthopedic and neurosurgeons discussing my situation. I used to work in medical research and grant funding, so for me (and my back), this was a research project. Along with my many back diagnoses and because of my scoliosis, I was referred to [...]

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ASK THE EXPERT: CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME VS CERVICAL RADICULOPATHY

  I was recently asked “how to recognize the difference between a cervical spine issue versus carpal tunnel syndrome with accompanied numbness.” As a spinal neurosurgeon, I frequently encounter a patient who has symptoms in his or her upper extremity (arm) that seemed to either extend from the shoulder down toward the fingers or extends [...]

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ASK THE EXPERT: HOW DOES A LOW BACK MUSCLE STRAIN OCCUR AND HOW IS IT TREATED?

  How does a low back muscle strain occur and how is it treated? When force exceeds a muscle’s threshold for strength production, injury can occur. Regarding the lumbar spine musculature, lifting from a position of flexion and rotation is the most common mechanism of injury, often creating forces greater than eight times a person’s [...]

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TRUE STORY: MR. BAKER SPENT 15 YEARS IN PAIN; NOW HE’S BACK TO HIS LIVELIHOOD

True Story: As the owner of Baker Farms in Mt. Jackson, Virginia, my lifelong profession is one that is physically demanding.  I have been pursuing my passion for farming for over 35 years; but not without pain. Over the past 15 years, I’ve learned to live with low back pain until finally one day the pain literally [...]

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LUMBAR ARTIFICIAL DISC REPLACEMENT: CASE STUDY

  Everyone will have some back pain at some point in their lives; after all it is the second most common reason for medical visits.  Most adults will have brief episodes that resolve with a little rest and exercise.  The vast majority of patients that have ongoing pain will have improvement without surgery.  Often physical [...]

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TRUE STORY: SHELDON OVERCAME LOWER BACK PAIN AND IS TRAINING AGAIN!

  True Story: I was an extremely healthy 33 year old.  I was just a week away from competing in my second half Ironman and was at peak fitness.  In the past three years I had finished my first marathon, first Half Ironman and completed multiple sprint and Olympic Distance triathlons. Life was very good. Then out [...]

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UNCOVERING METASTATIC SPINAL DISEASE

  Metastatic spinal disease, or the spread of cancer from its original location to the spine, is extremely common. Metastatic disease means that the cancer cells from the primary site actually spread via the bloodstream or the lymphatic system to a remote site, such as the spine. The spine is actually the third most common [...]

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