Dr. Cady's Blog
From Medicine to Fitness to Pain...
There is Always Something to Gain.
The Kerr-age of Pain
Anyone who follows basketball, the Golden State Warriors, or Steve Kerr in particular is keenly aware of the challenges Kerr has had with his low back pain in 2015 and his unresolved post-surgical cerebrospinal fluid leak complication. Ultimately his pain went from his back to his head and beyond.
Kerr’s story reminds us of the profound impact that chronic pain can have on one’s entire life, even if you are the head coach of one of the most profitable NBA teams in the country. And the realization that a “simple” surgery has its real risks was felt intimately by Kerr and those close to him.
As a consequence, Kerr told the Washington Post, “I can tell you if you’re listening out there, stay away from back surgery. I can say that from the bottom of my heart. Rehab, rehab, rehab. Don’t let anyone get in there.”
As much as surgeons will cringe at the above statement, the truth is that there is a higher risk when it comes to surgery as...
Vikas Agarwal, MD, Cert MDT uses the McKenzie Method patients
Dr. Vikas Agarwal has added a MDT (Mechanical Diagnosis & Therapy) certification (aka McKenzie Method) to his skill set. MDT is typically pursued by other health professionals especially physical therapists.
The Back Pain Disc-onnect: It’s Not Just About the Disc!
If you have not experienced back pain, then you likely know someone who has endured a short bout of low back pain or perhaps is still suffering from the affliction. The most common assumption by many patients is that they have “slipped a disc.” Worst of all, there is a tendency for limited histories and physical exams to be done and MRI studies ordered hastily. Unfortunately, this can lead to an overutilization of unnecessary imaging technology, which leads to many dreadful-sounding descriptions of the patient’s back. The patient’s concerns that a single event happened, such as a slipped disc, may be reaffirmed. This could lead to a patient becoming diagnocentric (see my blog, Diagnocentricity).
But let me just blow some assumptions out of the water here. Does the presence of bulging discs really mean PAIN? Take a look at the graph below to see where your age fits among the various groups:
