A Spinal Champion is a person who has achieved an improved quality of life through spinal health care! A few questions to ask yourself if you think you may be a Spinal Champion:
If you recognize yourself as a Spinal Champion, join our community! Here a few ways to get involved:
National Spine Health Foundation, we are lucky to know many Spinal Champions. We love sharing their stories here, on our blog, the Get Back To It Podcast and through video interviews on social media. These stories of hope and recovery provide so much empowerment and energy for the millions of people who are still suffering.
Our Spinal Champion® program provides much needed relief from the emotional and physical challenges that spinal patients face. We are pioneering patient support initiatives that bring together spinal patients, allowing them to share their experiences, offer support, and find strength and comfort in others who are battling similar challenges.
We encourage you to submit your story, so we can continue expanding hope to millions. When you speak out, someone is always helped. That is why we created the Spinal Champion program.
Don’t forget to join our private Back and Neck Pain Patient Support Group on Facebook here.
A few favorite Spinal Champion stories here:
From San Diego to New York and more cities between, Spine-Talks® Cities 2020 is a virtual tour of exciting minimally invasive advancements from......
Featured Program Launches July 2020 (Update: We’ve launched! Watch the full program here.) A virtual tour of exciting minimally invasive advancements......
Join us as we speak with National Osteoporosis Foundation‘s interim CEO, Claire Gill, about what you should know about osteoporosis, measures of prevention,......
Hear from Dr. Richard Guyer (Texas Back Institute) and Dr. Colin Haines (Virginia Spine Institute) on the most innovative patient care......
A candid conversation between CEO, Dr. Rita Roy and Board President, Dr. Thomas Schuler of Virginia Spine Institute...
Dr. Dimar (Norton Leatherman Spine Center) speaks on exciting happenings in the bone health industry and shares on how you can......
In a segment from the full Spine-Talks® LIVE: Reston – Recovery After Surgery panel discussion, a team of Spinal Champions® and......
In a segment from the Spine-Talks® LIVE: Reston – Is Surgery the Only Option panel discussion, a team of spinal specialists......
In a segment from the June 30, 2019 full Spine-Talks® LIVE: Reston – Spinal Advancements panel discussion, a team of spinal......
In a segment from the full Spine-Talks® LIVE: Reston – Recovery After Surgery panel discussion, a team of Spinal Champions® and......
Spine Health hosted a booth at the 2020 NBC4 Telemundo 44 Health & Fitness Expo, where we spread awareness about the......
The National Spine Health Foundation’s Ericka Andersen interviews Dr. Colin Haines, spine surgeon and Director of Research at the Virginia Spine......
There are great technological advances that are helping people get their lives back! Dr. Schuler (Virginia Spine Institute) attended the 2020......
Hear from Dr. Dimar, a surgeon at Norton Leatherman Spine Center, who speaks on why Vitamin D3 is vital for your......
National Spine Health Foundation CEO, Dr. Rita Roy sits down with Spinal Champion®, Ray Pugsley to hear his story, share an......
Featured Speaker: Ehsan Jazini, MD, Virginia Spine Institute, Reston, VA The enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol allows us to use the......
Featured Speaker: Dr. Tom Schuler, Virginia Spine Institute & Board President, National Spine Health Foundation, Virginia...
LIVE from the 2019 We’ve Got Your Back Gala, hear from experts as they discuss an array of topics, including recent......
As the only patient-centered medical nonprofit focused on spinal healthcare, the National Spine Health Foundation improves lives through knowledge and hope.......
Two of the nation’s top spinal specialists discuss must-know information on advanced non-operative and operative treatments and what questions to ask......
The Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocol is helping evolutionize spinal postoperative recovery, including better pain control, eliminating the need for......
In a segment from the full Spine-Talks® LIVE: Reston – Recovery After Surgery panel discussion, a team of Spinal Champions® and......
Because surgery is only the beginning of your commitment to wellness, a panel of the nation’s leading physical therapists from Virginia......
Surgical and non-surgical specialized physicians join together to discuss the advancements of spinal health and the array of viable treatment options.......
Dr. Amrish Patel (Sports & Spine Institute) recaps his experience at TOBI 2019 and provides insights as to what patients need......
Dr. Richard Gayles (Nona Medical Arts) recaps his experience at TOBI 2019 and provides insights on the current and future landscape......
Dr. Kraemer (Indiana Spine Group) discusses adjacent segment disease and what to consider if you need a secondary surgery....
Jennifer tells her Spinal Champion® story at the 2019 We’ve Got Your Back Race for Spinal Health on how she overcame scoliosis....
A mother and daughter share their Spinal Champion® story at the 2019 We’ve Got Your Back Race for Spinal Health on how......
Abby shares her Spinal Champion® story at the 2019 We’ve Got Your Back Race for Spinal Health on the power of hope......
Jeff tells his Spinal Champion® story at the 2019 We’ve Got Your Back Race for Spinal Health and the importance of educating......
Johanna tells her Spinal Champion® story at the 2019 We’ve Got Your Back Race for Spinal Health and why she credits......
Raf, travelling from California, tells his Spinal Champion® story at the 2019 We’ve Got Your Back Race for Spinal Health and......
An avid athlete, Ray shares his Spinal Champion® story at the 2019 We’ve Got Your Back Race for Spinal Health and......
Dr. Schuler, spine surgeon and Founder of Virginia Spine Institute, explains how a spinal surgeon chooses what surgical approach to ensure......
Dr. Gelb (University of Maryland) introduces the importance of spinal alignment and the effects of misalignment....
As a physical therapist and fitness coach at Virginia Therapy & Fitness Center, Paul Ellington, breaks down what exactly “wellness” means....
Dr. Glassman of Norton Leatherman Spine Center sheds light on how the spinal industry is leading the conversation in using the......
The “Get Back To It” podcast exists to provide patient stories of hope for those dealing with back and neck pain. Each month, we bring you a new interview with someone who has overcome. Every story is different and we hope you see yourself or a loved one through the eyes of the patients we ...
Each month at the Spine Health Foundation, we strive to bring you the very best content and information we can to help you in your journey to optimal spine health. Whether you are struggling with chronic pain or recovering from an injury, the Spine Health Foundation has resources and knowledge for you. In December, we ...
Back pain and numbness can be common symptoms of a variety of back issues. Spinal Champion® Mariel shares her story of overcoming years of back pain and numbness in today’s story. How did she find freedom? Her story is one of thousands of successes we have seen here at the Spine Health Foundation. Back Pain ...
Scoliosis surgery, which is also known as a spinal fusion, may cause you to think professional dancing would be out of the question. That is because during spinal fusion, the goal is to realign and fuse together the curved vertebrae so that they heal into a single, solid bone, which can be limiting in degrees ...
The holidays are a whirlwind of special days. In addition to Thanksgiving and Christmas, you have Black Friday, Cyber Monday and, of course, Giving Tuesday. This year we are asking you to consider adding the Spine Health Foundation to the non-profits you support on the big day. Your support helps people get out of pain, ...
Veterans Day holds a special place in the hearts of all Americans. At the National Spine Health Foundation, we have a real concern specifically for veterans who suffer from chronic back pain. According to the Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, spinal issues are a leading cause of disability for the veteran population. Back pain in veterans ...
Arthritis can cause back pain — and millions of people face this issue everyday. National Spine Health Foundation CEO Dr. Rita Roy joined the Arthritis Foundation podcast, “Live Yes,” to discuss this. In the episode, Dr. Roy shares her personal story of overcoming debilitating back pain and inspires hope for those who may be searching ...
It is a pleasure to present the story of Nancy K. She is a sixty-three year old woman who was initially referred for complaints related to her neck. Nancy has had significant neck problems, off and on, for the past fifteen years, stemming back to a car accident she was in as a teenager. She ...
“Oh no, I cannot believe it! My doctor just used the F word!?!!?” “I have got to get out of here, this guy must be crazy! Oh my God, this is the end of my life! I will never be able to do anything again…” This reaction is an all too common and, in many ...
Scoliosis Warrior and dancer Alayne Wadsworth speaks with us about her journey through Scoliosis and continuing to pursue her dreams despite the odds. Alayne was diagnosed with Scoliosis in middle school, wore a brace for 5 years, and eventually underwent spinal fusion surgery as an adult. It was a grueling process, but she never gave ...
We strive to always have your back, thanks for having ours! Thanks to you, our 2020 We’ve Got Your Back Virtual Race for Spinal Health was a smashing success! Like so many others, COVID-19 forced our plans into a different form — but we adapted. Because of you, Spinal Champions® were celebrated and we were ...
This Scoliosis Awareness Month, we want to highlight individuals who are making a difference online. If you search social media, you’ll find hundreds of accounts dedicated to living a successful life with scoliosis. It was hard to choose and we could never spotlight everyone, but we hope this list will give you a good start ...
On this episode of our “Get Back To It” podcast, our CEO Dr. Rita Roy interviews Dr. Avery Jackson of Michigan Neurological Institute, P.C. and his patient about their journey. Dr. Jackson says: “There’s a fairly large knowledge gap that we are experiencing across the country in making the diagnosis of Osteoporosis…so part of that ...
We spoke with Brian Nault, National Spine Health Foundation Board Chairman and President & Co-founder at Bluewater Federal Solutions, Inc. His team is participating in our “We’ve Got Your Back” virtual race this month. Brian talked with us about why Bluewater has been participating in our race for over 10 years — and why corporate wellness ...
As a collegiate swimmer at Virginia Tech, my physical health was crucial to my success in the pool as well as in the classroom. During the fall of my junior year, I began noticing low back pain as a result of prolonged sitting through classes. I had to constantly readjust my posture while sitting because ...
Everything you need to know about prevention of neck and back pain and how to maintain a healthy spine....
Everything you need to know about maintaining a healthy spine while you’re at home social distancing....
In 2006, I was an infantry officer at Fort Campbell, KY in the 101st Airborne Division. I considered myself in pretty good physical shape without any health issues. One day everything was as it should be, waking up early, doing physical training (PT) and working. The next day I woke up in excruciating pain in ...
We are excited to announce the launch of our new podcast “Get Back To It”, featuring real stories of healing and recovery! The podcast will launch with episode #1 on Friday, February 14th with the story of Dan C., who created the #SurgeryToSummit campaign, documenting his journey after spine surgery. Dan describes himself as an ...
In 2011, I slipped on ice, but instead of falling, I twisted my back which resulted in a herniated disc. I suffered through pain and numbness in my lower back and leg for years. I’ve always been an independent person and didn’t want to think of back surgery. In fact, I wanted to avoid it ...
Don’t miss this LIVE conversation with our CEO, Dr. Rita Roy, and Spinal Champion® , Ray P., for a candid conversation about spine health. We also have a special announcement about something new coming to the Foundation in 2020. We humbly invite you to consider the National Spine Health Foundation in your end of year giving plans ...
“No matter how much you think you’re in control, you’re not in control,” said actor Kevin Hart, months after a September car crash that left him with a severe injury. Hart fractured his spine in three places and has been doing intense physical therapy to rehab from the injury. He may be a celebrity, but ...
Silvana Masood had known about spinal disease for years having watched her husband go through physical therapy, spinal injections, and pain medications with little benefit. When he eventually underwent spinal fusion surgery with excellent results, she became a believer. Silvana first came to The Virginia Spine Institute in 2008. She was experiencing disabling low back ...
Spinal fusion surgery isn’t something to take lightly. It’s important to educate yourself and hear from others who have gone through it. For the Spinal Champion® Abby, all other non-operative options had been exhausted by the time she and her doctor decided to move forward with a spinal fusion surgery. Here, Abby speaks with us ...
I am an active seasoned citizen (72 years old) who retired from the military and then taught high school math for 15 years at South Lakes High School and McLean High School. I am now fully retired, and part of my routine includes a workout in the gym once a week by warming up on ...
I started playing softball when I was eight years old and fell in love with pitching when I was 10. When I was 11 years old, I started having extreme back pain when playing softball, though. No matter what I tried, (heat, ice, rest, etc.) the pain wouldn’t go away. After about two months of ...
We spoke with Fox News’ anchor Heather Childers about her recent neck surgery, after suffering an injury that may have left her paralyzed had she not taken action. Last year, Childers’ began noticing a stiff neck, pains in her head and had trouble walking. When she finally went to a surgeon to diagnose the problem, ...
It is truly a privilege to share Christian’s story with you. It is a story of inner strength, devotion, family support, and team work. Christian was diagnosed with scoliosis when he was eight years old. Scoliosis is a medical condition where the spine develops a curvature as it grows. Scoliosis is a relatively common condition ...
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