looking after your back and neck

Many adults experience back and neck pain at some point in their lives. Discover how to care for your spine so you can keep moving forward.

moving me forward™

Your movement may be limited, but your options don't have to be. See how other patients conquered their pain and get started on your own journey to recovery.

Mike "Coach K" Krzyzewski
Inspirational college coach and DePuy joint recipient.

watch a spine pep-talk from Coach Kread Coach K's story

now playing:

"It's not worth living with pain."

http://prod.neverst.depuy.edgesuite.net/patients/media/depuy-spine.mp4
http://prod.neverst.depuy.edgesuite.net/patients/media/depuy-spine.mp4
"It's not worth living with pain."

read Coach K's story

"Hi, I'm Mike Krzyzewski, coach of Duke University's Men's Basketball team. If you could take a journey to move better, live better, why wouldn't you? I did when I had joint replacement surgery.

"I'm here to tell you that you have two opponents. Pain and lack of mobility. Pain can get you down every day. Lack of mobility can lead to decreased speed and loss of endurance. With speed and endurance loss, you don't stay competitive and you spend energy just trying to catch up. But you've got to fight your opponents to stay in the game.

"I know it isn't always easy. There was a part of me that thought of stopping, giving up coaching altogether. I would never have won two Olympic team medals and four NCAA Championships if I hadn't had my surgeries.

"Now, I don't have to overcompensate for injury and pain. I'm more active than before, I have relief from pain and I'm even quicker on my feet. People say I look better now. Do you want your life back the way it should be? You have two choices, a continued downward spiral or take action.

"So don't let the injury win. You don't need to live in pain. That's why I want to encourage you to empower yourself. Get educated, develop a personal treatment plan with your doctor, build a team of support and commit to reclaiming your life. Remember, this is a major event in your life—treat it as such. What you put into it will multiply for you at the end of the journey."
 

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Being active again starts with the action
you take today. Get back in motion with
these useful resources.

Today, there are many treatments available for back and neck conditions. Consider your options and form a rehabilitation plan with your doctor.

corpectomy

To relieve pressure on the spinal cord that may be causing spinal stenosis or cervical myelopathy, the front of the spinal canal is surgically removed.

read more about corpectomy
disc replacement

A damaged intervertebral disc can be surgically replaced with an artificial one as an alternative to spinal fusion surgery.

learn more about disc replacement
discectomy

When a herniated disc puts pressure on a nerve root an operation is performed to remove the herniated disc, thus relieving the pressure.

find out more about discectomy
exercise and physical therapy

Many back and neck conditions can be successfully treated using regular exercise routines and a personalized treatment plan put together by a physical therapist.

find out all about exercise and physical therapy
external back and neck braces

One of the oldest and most reliable techniques for relieving back and neck pain is the use of specialized braces.

learn all about external back and neck braces
spinal decompression

Surgical interventions designed to relieve pressure on the spinal cord and nerve roots.

obtain more information on spinal decompression
spinal fusion

Among the most reliable ways to reduce back and neck pain from degeneration of the vertebrae is to fuse them together.

discover more about spinal fusion
spine medications and injections

Today, patients with painful back and neck disorders have many non-surgical treatment options at their disposal.

read more about spine medications and injections
vertebroplasty

A minimally invasive procedure specifically designed to treat spinal compression fractures.

get more details on vertebroplasty
May 15 2012 - 19:17:49