Invasive Surgery

Is Hip PAO Surgery a Bad Idea?

I have my list of surgeries that when I first learned of them, my reaction was, “They did what to you!?” Hip PAO surgery has been on that list for years. Why? Its goal is to replace the need for a hip replacement, but it’s far more invasive than the surgery it seeks to prevent. Let me…read more

LASER Spine Surgery Side Effects: Meet the Thoracodorsal Fascia

Have you seen those new compression garments athletes wear to try to improve performance? The idea is that by adding compression to the muscles, the ultratight shirts and pants will make the muscles contract better. This concept has been around for a while; it’s called fascia. Every muscle in your body is already surrounded by fascia that…read more

Hand Surgery Side Effects That Can Easily Be Avoided…

If you’ve ever wondered why sometimes I seem to be a bit “anti-surgery,” you would only need to spend a day with me in clinic to find out why. We see surgery train wrecks day in and day out. What makes them so upsetting is that most of the time, the surgery could have been…read more

What Causes Knee Pain Years After Replacement?

Knee pain can limit walking, stair climbing, and many daily activities. These limits may reduce independence and overall well-being, especially when discomfort becomes a constant problem. For people with severe joint damage—often from osteoarthritis (OA)—knee replacement (arthroplasty) is viewed as a final option when other treatments no longer help. Total knee replacement improves joint mechanics…read more

Laser Back Surgery vs. Traditional Spine Surgery

Is LASER surgery a back surgery alternative? The picture above of Dr. Evil is arguably the world’s most famous air quote. He does this as he describes the laser he has placed on the moon to disintegrate the earth. I feel a little like making this air quote as I speak to some patients about “LASER” Spine…read more

Back Fusion Outcome: Fusion Leads to Dead Multifidus

Decisions in Medicine like most things are based on risk vs. benefit.  There are life saving procedures and surgeries where the answer is clear, but in non emergency situations, are we doing greater good than harm?  A new study looks at the potential damage done to the multifidus in the common surgery, back fusion. So what is…read more

How Your Back May Be Causing Your Bunions and a Bunion Surgery Alternative

Bunion surgery is big business. Is there a bunion surgery alternative? To see if that’s possible, we first have to understand why bunions occur in the first place. In my clinical experience, a big cause is a back problem that causes the stabilizing muscles of the foot to weaken. How does that work? The nerves in your…read more