News

Tiger Woods Suffers Back Spasms at Honda Classic

Tiger Woods withdrew from the Honda Classic this weekend due to severe back spasms. Woods was clearly in pain, dropping to his knees after a shot on the 13th hole. His decision to withdraw was appropriate and medically prudent. Back spasms are painful and debilitating injuries that can take up to 6 weeks to resolve. Luckily, they NEVER require surgery. They do require considerable rest and non-operative treatment including non-anabolic steroids, stretching and physical therapy….

Peyton Manning Passes Physical

Why did Peyton Manning need another physical? The answer: to rule out further deterioration of his neck. Manning underwent a cervical fusion for a herniated disk in 2011. He obviously did well this season, securing another MVP award. However, there is concern the disks above and below the fusion will deteriorate. This is called adjacent segment degeneration. It is a documented side effect of an anterior cervical fusion. The degeneration occurs in approximately 3% of…

New York City Health Care: Cash Only Please!

New York City Health Care: New Yorkers are Traveling to Pennsylvania for their health care. It is no secret that many physicians in New York City do not accept health insurance. That leaves patients in a bind. See the doctor you want and pay thousands of dollars out of pocket or go to one of the few doctors accepting your insurance and wait a year to see him. However, a new trend is developing. Many…

Is Tony Romo’s Herniated Disk Injury More Severe than Originally Thought?

Last Friday, Tony Romo underwent surgery for a herniated disk sustained during a game with the Washington Redskins. It was reported to be a herniated disk at the L4-5 level. In April, Romo underwent surgery for what the Dallas Cowboys called a “spinal cyst” and recovered uneventfully. These cysts are more precisely known as facet cysts and are usually a precursor to a more serious condition, degenerative spondylolisthesis. Degenerative spondylolisthesis is a genetic condition that…

Facet Cysts and the Development of Degenerative Spondylolisthesis

Degenerative spondylolisthesis is a genetic condition of the spine. The disorder starts with a breakdown of the intervertebral disk and progresses to slippage or “listhesis” of one spinal vertebra on another. This creates nerve root compression and spinal stenosis resulting in leg pain, back pain and the inability to walk long distances. The hallmark of this condition is instability within the bones and disk of a spinal segment. Common treatment for this disease is physical…

Return to Play After Anterior Cervical Discectomy

Return to Play After Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion in Professional Athletes Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion surgery (ACDF) has received a great deal of attention recently. We have all been inundated with news about Peyton Manning’s return to play after multiple neck surgeries and a year out of football. One of the questions always addressed is, “Can athletes return to competitive, contact sports, such as football or wrestling, after an anterior cervical discectomy and…