Welcome
Welcome to our new website, designed with care and precision to bring you knowledge and hope. We are confident the new Symptom Explorer, convenient access to Spine-Talks, and elevated Spinal Champion stories will help improve spinal health for everyone. Learn more about these changes in a letter from NSHF CEO, Dr. Rita Roy.
Join Us In Changing Lives!
Your support can transform a person’s life – and with every patient we help, we change the future of spine health together. As a nonprofit organization, philanthropy fuels our mission. We rely on supporters like you to help fund our educational, research, and advocacy efforts. Please consider a gift to support our mission to empower people with the knowledge and hope to take charge of their spine health.
New Spine-Talks!
Join us for this captivating conversation with world-renowned spine surgeon, Lawrence Lenke, MD, and one of his scoliosis patients, Pat Schellhorn. Pat’s complex medical diagnosis left her feeling alone on her journey to find the right treatment. Between Pat’s perseverance to find the right doctor and Dr. Lenke’s expertise on spinal deformity, the two offer their insights on how patients can navigate the often confusing world of healthcare treatment.
Why Spine Health?
The spine is central to the entire body and cannot be replaced, leaving it as one of the most vital and under appreciated body parts we have. Today, over 100 million people in the US struggle with chronic spine and back pain. We can change that!
Learn More100M
Americans Suffer Each Year
#1
Reason for Opioid Prescriptions Outside of Cancer
#1
Job-Related Disability in the U.S.
$250B
Annual cost to U.S. economy per year
Real Answers, Real Hope
Dependable, up-to-date resources that provide people with comprehensive options for their spine health.
Produce Award-Winning Research
Our award-winning research is focused on identifying the best treatment options for patients to overcome debilitating spinal conditions.
Cultivate a Patient-Centered Community
Our Spinal Champions program brings together individuals who have achieved improved quality of life through treatment for their neck or back pain to share their own stories of hope.
Provide Industry Leading Patient Education
Spine-Talks® brings you unparalleled access to world-class spine health experts, wherever you are.
Empower Patient Decisions
We’ve created a resource for patients to explore their symptoms and find relevant information about different spinal conditions.
Promote Useful Tips
Our Spinal Help Center offers Spinal Champion stories, spine health articles, videos on spine conditions and more!
Share Stories of Healing and Recovery
Our “Get Back to It” Podcast showcases inspiring accounts from our Spinal Champions on the steps they took to heal.
Our Partners
The National Spine Health Foundation has partnered with other healthcare societies that support policies and initiatives that offer much needed help to patients as they embark on their journey to spinal health.
Spinal Champion Stories.
Rafael Rodriguez
I am a school administrator and former teacher, an athlete, a husband, and a Spinal Champion! My journey to spinal health involved being diagnosed with spondylolisthesis and fractured vertebrae. I was in the midst of training for a triathlon competition when I was forced to walk with a cane for...
Read More
Ella Turk
I am a straight-A high school student, daughter, distance runner, dancer, and a Spinal Champion! At the age of 10, I was diagnosed with scoliosis with a spine curvature of 11 degrees. I was being followed by a specialist, but within two years of diagnosis my curvature increased (more than...
Read More
Mary Wykle, PhD
I am an aquatic therapist and instructor, a wife, a mother, and a Spinal Champion! Throughout my life, I have always valued physical activity. Years ago when I was living abroad in Germany, a ski accident led to an ankle injury and further complications. Treatment and incorrect healing of that...
Read MoreStay Connected
Subscribe to receive our Spine Spotlight Newsletter, delivered to your inbox monthly.
Please, consider a gift to support our mission to empower patients with the knowledge and hope to take charge of their spine health.
Explore My Symptoms.
Understand your symptoms for a better conversation with your doctor.
Your Answers,
Your Way
At the National Spine Health Foundation, we empower patients with knowledge so they have the tools to make the best informed choices.
Join Us in Transforming Lives.
Your support can transform a patient’s life – and with every patient we help, we change the future of spine health together. As a nonprofit organization, philanthropy fuels our mission. We rely on supporters like you to help fund our educational, research, and advocacy efforts.
Please, consider a gift to support our mission to empower patients with the knowledge and hope to take charge of their spine health.