After the Crash: What You Need to Know About Spine Injuries and Auto Accidents
Motor vehicle accidents are one of the most common causes of acute spine injuries in the United States. Each year, millions of Americans experience neck or back pain following a collision. Navigating the medical, legal, and insurance landscape after an accident can be confusing and stressful. This post provides a factual overview of what typically […]
The CME Physician: A Voice for Objectivity, Resolution, and Healing
By John H. Shim, MD | Board-Certified Orthopaedic Spine Surgeon In personal injury litigation, few roles are more misunderstood than that of the physician who performs a Compulsory Medical Evaluation (CME). Critics have worked hard to portray these physicians as partisan advocates for the defense, paid to minimize and deny. Having performed hundreds of these […]
Summer Sports and Your Spine: What Pickleball, Golf, and Swimming Can Do to Your Back
Warm-weather sports such as pickleball, golf, and swimming can support spine health when played wisely, but each activity also carries specific back-injury risks.
Is Percutaneous Discectomy Better Than Traditional Discectomy?
In this video/blog, we’ll be discussing percutaneous discectomy. Procedure In medicine, percutaneous refers to any procedure that’s performed by a needle through the skin. For a percutaneous discectomy, a thicker large diameter needle and small tools are used to remove the herniated disc. Most patients only have a small incision from the needle following the […]
Artificial Cervical Disc Replacement
In this video/blog, we’ll be taking a look at the recent research on cervical artificial disc replacement (ADR). Purpose If you have persistent neck pain with shooting arm pain that has not improved despite the appropriate treatments prescribed by your doctor, it can be frustrating. For a specific group of people, an artificial disc replacement […]
Spine Injuries in Baseball
In this video/blog, we’ll be taking a look at common back injuries in professional baseball players. While football may have more high profile injuries than baseball, all professional athletes are exposed to high-impact forces. Professional baseball players also experience some of the highest rates of disc degeneration and back pain, but simultaneously a high rate […]
Does Spinal Manipulative Therapy Work for Lower Back Pain?
In this video/blog, we’ll be taking a look at two studies on the effectiveness of spinal manipulative therapy for low back pain. Background let’s define spinal manipulative therapy (SMT). It is a technique of using the hands or a device to apply a controlled thrust to a joint of your spine. It is performed by […]
Will a Past Injury Cause Future Back Pain?
All of Us will have a back injury. It is a normal part of life. Some of you may be worried that these injuries might lead to future back problems. In today’s video, we’ll be reviewing a study that researched the correlation between previous back injuries and future disc degeneration. Although everyone’s discs will […]
Cervical Injuries in American Football
In this video/blog, we’ll be taking a look at cervical injuries in American football players. While most injuries are related to pulling and stretching of the muscles, tendons, and ligaments of the neck, there are more significant injuries besides these sprains and strains. The most common cause of cervical injury for American football athletes are […]
Sports-Related Cervical Injuries in Children
The neck is the most mobile region of the spine and vulnerable to injury. In this video/blog, we’ll be taking a look at the most common sports-related cervical injuries in children and adolescents. As resilient as children are, it’s not surprising that their growing bodies are at risk for injuries. A January 2021 study of […]
