Winter Back Pain and Snow Shoveling: Quick Facts Cold weather can make back pain and stiffness more noticeable because muscles tighten in lower temperatures and many people move less during the winter. As circulation and flexibility drop, your spine and supporting muscles may not respond as well to everyday demands, especially sudden tasks like shoveling…
Motion-Preservation Spine Surgery: Quick Facts What is Motion-Preservation Spine Surgery? Motion-preservation spine surgery – like disc replacement surgery, hybrid spine surgery (combining disc replacement and fusion), or minimally invasive spine surgery – use advanced implants and techniques to relieve nerve pressure while maintaining near-normal movement in the spine. Instead of fusing bones together, these procedures…
Excellence in spine surgery and sports medicine requires more than technical skill—it demands innovation, peer respect, and an unwavering commitment to patient outcomes. That’s why we’re thrilled to share that Dr. Niteesh Bharara, Dr. Christopher Good, and Dr. Colin Haines have once again earned Castle Connolly Top Doctor honors for 2026. This achievement places them…
What does chronic back pain really cost? For Rachel, a 35-year-old teacher and mother of two from Maryland, the price was 20 years of her life spent watching from the sidelines. Twenty years of declining invitations, making excuses, and slowly shrinking her world to fit around constant pain. Her symptoms began as a teenager and…
The stretch between Thanksgiving and New Year’s can be joyful, but it is also uniquely demanding on the body. Routines change, sleep becomes inconsistent, stress rises, and holiday favorites often mean more sugar and alcohol than usual. For many people, that combination creates a perfect storm that shows up as headaches, fatigue, brain fog, muscle…
Spinal Stenosis: Endoscopic Treatment Overview Revolutionizing Spinal Stenosis Treatment with Endoscopic Spine Surgery Spinal stenosis is a common spinal condition that debilitates millions of people, often leading to chronic neck or back pain, numbness extending down the arms or legs, and can lead to challenges with daily activities. For many, the thought of invasive surgery or long-term…
One of the most common conditions we see when diagnosing patients at VSI is lumbar spinal stenosis. This common condition can cause people to suffer with constant back pain, or with pain and weakness that radiates from the lower back down the legs. Many of my patients’ first question when being told they have lumbar…
What is Lumbar Spinal Stenosis? The spinal canal is the hollow passage formed by the spine, through which the spinal cord travels. Lumbar spinal stenosis refers to the portion of the spinal cord in the lower spine (lumbar region) being pinched in the canal (stenosis). What Are the Symptoms of Lumbar Spinal Stenosis? When lumbar spinal stenosis…
Lumbar spinal stenosis is a medical condition that can cause significant discomfort and impact daily life. We’ll break down what lumbar spinal stenosis is, its symptoms, causes, and treatment options, providing a comprehensive guide for those seeking to understand this condition better. What is Lumbar Spinal Stenosis? The term stenosis means a narrowing of space,…
VSI President Dr. Christopher Good discusses groundbreaking research and The Recovery Revolution™ on Fox 5 DC Morning News. For the 1.6 million Americans who undergo spine surgery each year, the operating room is only the beginning of the journey. What happens after surgery, the recovery phase that determines whether patients return to active, pain-free lives,…
