Finding the best spine surgeon near you that is right for you can be a confusing process. You may have friends, family, and coworkers flooding you with recommendations. You may see advertising touting the merits of one practice over another.
How do you decide what the best choice is for you?
Ultimately, to sort through all the options, it is essential to use a set of objective measures to rank those options and make your decision based on that ranking.
Find An Experienced Spine Surgeon
When trying to determine the best spine surgeon, arguably the number one factor would be the surgeon’s experience. When considering the experience of a back doctor, there are several questions you should ask.
Are they licensed and board-certified?
A board-certified surgeon has met the minimum competency requirements of a board or medical association.
Are they fellowship-trained?
Fellowship training allows doctors to gain valuable experience beyond the requirements of medical school and a residency.
The Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Approach
When determining who to choose as the best spine surgeon near you, another hugely important factor is understanding the doctor’s surgical approach.
The minimally invasive surgical approach was introduced more than 15 years ago, yet, many surgeons are still operating in the dark ages of spine surgery.
A traditional open-back surgeon performs the surgery through a sizeable 4×6-inch incision, while the minimally invasive spine surgeon performs the same surgery through a 3/4th inch incision.
Find one spine surgeon near you at injuredcare directory.
Surgical Outcomes
You can ensure a positive surgical outcome by finding a board-certified and fellowship-trained minimally invasive spine surgeon nationally recognized for surgery outcomes.
Neck Injury Exercises From Home
If you’re dealing with neck tightness or stiffness, working on sitting and standing in an aligned posture (ribs stacked right over your pelvis and your head piled right over your ribs) and breathing diaphragmatically is critical.
But stretching plays a vital role after that.
Seated Clasped Neck Stretch
- Sit comfortably on the floor or in a chair, making sure your body is in proper alignment (your head should be stacked above your ribs and your ribs above your pelvis)
- Clasp your hands and bring both palms to the back of your head
- Gently press your hands down toward your thighs, tucking your chin into your chest
- Hold for at least 30 seconds, or 5-8 deep, diaphragmatic breaths in and out
Upper Trapezius Stretch
- Start standing or sitting tall, and place one hand on your lower back, the other hand on the opposite side of your head.
- Pull your head toward your shoulder, looking straight ahead until you feel a stretch in your neck.
- Hold for at least 30 seconds (or 5-8 deep, diaphragmatic breaths) and then repeat on the other side.
Bridge
- Lie faceup on the floor or a mat, your knees bent and feet hip-width apart
- With your palms and feet pressing firmly into the ground, lift your hips off the floor
- Clasp your hands together below your pelvis, extending through your arms
- Engage your core, so your lower back pressed against the floor
- Hold for two complete diaphragmatic breaths cycles (deep inhales in, deep exhales out)
Thread the Needle
- Start on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and hips over your knees.
- Reach your right arm underneath and across your body with your palm facing up
- Bend your left elbow as you gently lean into your right side; you should feel a stretch in the back of your right shoulder.
- Hold for one complete diaphragmatic breath cycle (deep inhale in, deep exhale out) in that bottom position, then return to the starting position and repeat.
- Continue for at least 30 seconds. Then switch sides. Find a neck injury specialist near you by clicking here.
Behind the Back Drill
- Lie facedown. Place both palms down on the back of your head. Your elbows should be pointed out to the It.s is starting position
- Extend your arms in the shape of the letter Y
- Reach your arms as wide as you can and circle them down to the sides of your body with palms down
- As soon as you can no longer keep your palms down, flip your hands over to palms up and bring your hands to the center of your lower back
- Pause at your low back for 2 seconds
- Circle your arms back in the reverse direction to return to starting position, holding your hands at your head for 2 seconds
- Continue for at least 30 seconds
Conclusion
Just remember these factors when choosing the best spine surgeon near you: experience, surgical approach, surgical outcomes, length of surgery, and recovery time.
