At the NSHF, we work tirelessly with our medical and industry partners to get life-changing spinal procedures more readily available and accessible.
Although patients can choose from numerous medical interventions to fix their spine-related pain and discomfort, many promising treatments are considered “experimental,” making them unlikely to be approved by insurance.
At the NSHF, we work tirelessly with our medical and industry partners to get life-changing spinal procedures more readily available and accessible. Often, although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a treatment, insurers will deem it experimental and therefore not provide coverage. We want to make sure that patients have access to the most up-to-date options for treating their spinal conditions.
We advance research that patients can trust and that gives patients real answers for their spine health. We critically evaluate treatment options from a patient perspective, independent of outside interests. Our award-winning research is nationally and internationally recognized, and is sought after by patients and their physicians to inform treatment plans for serious spinal conditions and medical researchers seeking to develop innovative new therapies.
Your contribution helps us bring real hope and real solutions to all who are suffering.
Our Spine-Talks expert panelists are at the forefront of spinal research, breaking down the latest trends and treatments in spinal healthcare into easily understandable terms. Our goal is to demystify the complexities of spinal health, enabling patients to make well-informed decisions about their treatment and allowing them to continue living their lives.
The Foundation’s research has been featured at many of the leading conferences in the field of spine treatment, including the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS), Lumbar Spine Research Society (LSRS), and North American Spine Society (NASS), among many others.
Many of the Foundation’s spine health research partners utilize navigation and various robotic-guidance platforms for surgery planning and hardware implantation, demonstrating greater accuracy than traditional surgery or fluoroscopic-guided (live x-ray) techniques. Robotic-guided surgery provides surgeons the ability to create an extremely detailed preoperative plan, enabling them to prepare for the entire procedure before ever making an incision.
Robotic-guidance enables more precise screw implantation and fewer complications for patients than the traditional freehand techniques. Robotic-guided surgery allows for a more minimally invasive procedure with less radiation exposure to the patient and surgical team, and enables greater accuracy of hardware placement which can result in quicker recovery times for patients. The NSHF is currently gathering outcomes data on patients who have undergone robotic-guided surgery, with the hope that minimally invasive surgery can be more widely available to patients.
Artificial disc replacement (ADR) was developed as an alternative to fusion surgeries as a method to preserve some motion and reduce stress on adjacent discs. ADR has the goal of simulating normal disc function while increasing mobility and alleviating pain. There are a variety of artificial discs currently on the market.
The Foundation is investigating discs composed of a combination of materials, including ceramic, titanium, polyurethane, and polyether ether ketone (PEEK). These available artificial discs have a “moveable” core, which allows for flexion and rotation once implanted. This means that the discs more closely mimic the patient’s native (natural) discs, thereby easing the post-surgery recovery time and allowing patients to move more naturally. Along with industry partners, the NSHF is helping identify the benefits of artificial discs and track the recovery progress of patients with them. Our current research surveys outcomes from patients who have undergone hybrid cervical spine surgeries which are a combination of disc replacement and fusion. This partial motion-preserving procedure is beneficial to patients who have a multi-level disc problem.
One of the key research goals for the Foundation is to identify effective, minimally invasive surgeries for relieving spinal pain and other spinal conditions. “Minimally invasive” means that the surgeon performs the smallest operation possible with the least disruption of tissues. One new advancement in minimally invasive surgery is called “Augmented Reality.” Think of it as a virtual reality headset: through this technique, surgeons can perform spinal procedures while looking at a patient’s spine as if with X-ray vision!
The NSHF is currently gathering data on Augmented Reality-Assisted spine surgery, which has shown great promise in early trials. Our work on Augmented Reality surgical procedures seeks to show a reduction in the post-operative time patients spend in the hospital and the length of the overall patient recovery.
The Foundation also takes great interest in improving patient recovery times after surgery. We sponsor research that identifies the methods that can be used to reduce patient recovery windows, and outline recovery plans that will lead to decreased usage of opioid-based pain medicines. Much of this research centers on a multi-step process called ESR (Enhanced Surgical Recovery), a patient-centered technique that involves the collaboration of surgeons, doctors, anesthetists, and other medical staff to best prepare the patient for their procedure. The main goal of ESR is to minimize the length of stay in the hospital which means they can more readily return to their daily activities. The Foundation’s early studies point to great promise for the utilization of ESR protocols for spine patients.
One important NSHF-backed study surveyed patients undergoing surgery for Adult Spinal Deformity (ASD). This study found that those who recovered with the ESR protocol consumed fewer post-operative opioids, had urinary catheters removed earlier, and regained mobility faster.
A similar study surveyed the three-month utilization of opioids after spine surgery. Researchers assessed the pain relief needs of patients based on opioid usage. Understanding the use of opioids after spine surgery can help identify the best pain management for patients.
Research and outcomes are important to the National Spine Health Foundation. NSHF’s research efforts were presented at the following meetings in 2025.
October, 2025, Las Vegas, NV
Podium Presentations
October, 2025, Copenhagen, Denmark
Podium Presentations
May 16-20, 2025, Denver, Colorado.
Poster Presentation
May 16-20, 2025, New York, New York
Poster Presentation
April 10-13, 2025, Rome, Italy
Poster Presentation
The National Spine Health Foundation established its Research Institute to foster a collaborative research environment for students to gain experience and knowledge of the spine health landscape. Our aim is to encourage the development of healthcare-focused students and drive collaboration in spine health research
The Research Institute gives highly motivated students the opportunity to play an integral role in investigating innovative spine treatments through volunteer internships. Internship activities include collaborating with top spine physicians and industry leaders on cutting-edge treatments, learning best practices in patient-related research, collecting and analyzing data, and learning techniques in writing blogs, abstracts, journal articles, and manuscripts for publication. The research projects our interns assist with help the Foundation promote innovation and to prove what treatments work. Our results give patients hope they will get better and back to living their best lives.
