Get Back To It

Join us on this inspiring journey with Jenny Jones, a dedicated nurse and mother whose life was turned upside down by excruciating back pain that began in the early 2000s. Thought to be just normal wear and tear due to an active lifestyle, her struggles took an unexpected turn after a startling fall created worsening symptoms.  This led to crucial spine surgeries that produced transformative outco...

Eric Wood, a former Buffalo Bills NFL player, and Dr. Rita Roy delve into the lesser-seen struggles and rehabilitation efforts in professional sports. Their discussion highlights the pivotal roles played by athletic trainers and medical staff in facilitating athletes' returns from injuries. Wood's own NFL journey, was marked by resilience in the wake of multiple injuries, a Pro Bowl nod,...

Monte Clair, experienced discomfort in her low back since her college days and throughout her early 30s. She managed her chronic pain through non-operative treatments for many years. But, while packing for a trip in 2011, she unexpectedly threw out her back just as she headed out with some friends for a road trip. She later found out she had ruptured a disc which required surgery. Hear her insight...

In this month’s episode, Dara Strader, a wife, mom, and grandmother, whose back issues began when she was injured at her job over 40 years ago. Dara has had low back pain for most of her adult life and was eventually diagnosed with degenerative disk disease and ultimately, a herniated disk. After years of pain management treatment, surgery ultimately relieved her of her pain and she’s now enjoying...

Naz Kabanni grew up in the United Kingdom where playing soccer was a way of life! He began playing at a competitive level beginning at the tender age of 6. As he grew, and the competitive levels increased, he began having back issues. Through working with physical therapists and athletic trainers, he learned that his hip alignment was off due to one leg being slighter longer than the other. Those...

Debbie Fox began her journey when she began having back and neck pain following the birth of her second child. As the pain progressed, she felt dismissed, thinking she was probably just depressed. As her pain worsened, Debbie saw a neurosurgeon who diagnosed her with scoliosis. She spent years in treatment and finally saw a complex spine surgeon when her daily life activities were becoming more pa...

Tennis Pro Mike Kotz experienced sudden and severe leg pain, leading to a diagnosis of a herniated disc. After a successful microdiscectomy, he swiftly returned to teaching and playing tennis with remarkable post-operative results. Support the show

In this episode of Get Back To It, Sheryl shares her remarkable story. In 8th grade, she was diagnosed with scoliosis after falling off a horse and wore the Milwaukee brace throughout high school. Despite her initial 56-degree curve, she opted for non-operative care over surgery for most of her life. This seemed to manage her pain until her husband fell ill with cancer and eventually required full...

When Air Force Veteran Jack Allen went on a treasured family hiking and camping adventure with his sons, he had to stop in his tracks so often, he couldn’t complete the hike because his back hurt so badly. His son, NSHF Research Assistant Brandon, had been studying that exact scenario. He urged his dad to get it checked out with a spine specialist. Jack had been suffering for 17 years with bouts o...

This insightful and inspiring podcast features Dr. Stephen Hochschuler, a distinguished and pioneering spine specialist with a 40-year history as a world-renowned spine surgeon. In a conversation with Dr. Rita Roy, the CEO of the National Spine Health Foundation, immerse in their dialogue as they explore Dr. Hochschuler's personal journey from a prolific spine surgeon to becoming a spine pati...

Join us for an inspiring episode of the Get Back To It Podcast featuring Paul Llewelyn Franklin, a 64-year-old Spinal Champion. Despite enduring a fractured neck as a young teen and undergoing multiple spine surgeries later in life, Paul has accomplished incredible feats. From cycling through 20 countries to walking the Camino trail and the length of Ireland, he has raised funds for charities and...

Unleash your inner superhero in this heartfelt episode of the "Get Back to It" podcast, where host Dr. Rita Roy teams up with Jennifer Fell and her incredible four-year-old son, Liam—a true spinal champion. Join their extraordinary journey from the fateful ultrasound that revealed Liam's abnormal spinal curve to the daunting challenges that awaited them. Brace yourself for the impor...

In this episode of the "Get Back To It Podcast" host Rita Roy, spoke with Ava, a remarkable 17-year-old spinal champion and dedicated Girl Scout. Diagnosed with scoliosis at her annual check-up four years ago, Ava's parents sought non-invasive approaches to improve her condition and avoid surgery. Tune in as we explore Ava's challenging journey, including her 3.5-year experienc...

In this episode, we are joined by Bobbi Giudicelli who has an incredible story to share. For her whole life, she suffered from back pain and thought it was normal. It wasn't until she started playing tennis in her early 30s that the pain increased and became debilitating. She consulted with a spine specialist and was diagnosed with spondylolisthesis. Over the next 12 years, she had to undergo...

In this episode of the “Get Back To It” podcast, Rita speaks with registered nurse, Suzanne Wurster, who was diagnosed with scoliosis when she was an adolescent. As she grew older, her Scoliosis began to cause her more pain and she began looking for answers in 2017. Her initial doctor suggested physical therapy and SI joint injections. The injections were initially helpful, but their impact quickl...

 It’s not often that we get to hear about an actual expert spine surgeon giving an account of his own journey back to spine health from both a patient and a surgeon’s perspective! This is the remarkable story of one of our own, Dr. Todd Lanman, a spinal neurosurgeon who practices in Beverly Hills, is affiliated with Cedar-Sinai and UCLA medical centers, and who is a member of our prestigious  Medi...

In this episode of the Get Back To It Podcast , Rita Roy had the pleasure of speaking with Pat Schellhorn, a woman who faced life-altering obstacles and came out on the other side stronger and more determined than ever. Pat suffered from severe scoliosis, which led to immobility and a life filled with pain and discomfort. However, Pat refused to let her condition define her and instead, sought out...

In this episode, Rita Roy talks with Aaron Baker, a man who has experienced firsthand the transformative power of disc replacement surgery. Beginning in his late twenties, Aaron struggled with back pain caused from degenerative disc disease and low bone density. Thanks to a successful surgery, though, he is now able to enjoy a wide range of physical activities, from hunting to CrossFit. Aaron shar...

Colin MacGregor is a strength and conditioning coach who, on a cold spring morning in 2005, slipped on some ice on the way to his car. He could never have anticipated that at the young age of 30, he would be in a much worse position than the athletes he was helping, and in desperate need of his own rehabilitation. Fortunately, his industry training helped him create a program that got him back to...

When Allison's doctor recommended a spinal fusion at age 20, Allison just didn't feel comfortable with the treatment diagnosis. This led to her seeking a second opinion and ultimately had a discectomy, laminectomy, and laminotomy. Allison talks to Dr. Rita Roy about her experience advocating for her health at such a young age in this episode of the "Get Back To It" Podcast. Sup...

Ray Pugsley is a Spinal Champion who has had multiple spine surgeries over the course of almost 30 years. As a life-long athlete and elite runner, Ray was discouraged and frustrated when a pain in his back grew so bad that he could barely stand up straight.  Fortunately, Ray was able to find the right spine treatments to address his pain and was able to return to running.  You can hear his inspiri...

🎧 🎧 New Episode! As an athlete, Patrick Collins was used to getting injured, so when he started to experience back pain, he wasn’t afraid to call his friend, a spine surgeon, to find out what to do. You can listen to our “Get Back To It” Podcast to hear how Patrick found healing and recovery from his injury. Support the show

In this episode of the “Get Back To It” Podcast, Dr. Rita Roy speaks with Dr. Carrie Holl, a clinical psychologist who woke up one morning in excruciating pain. Carrie knew immediately that this pain was unusual and self-referred herself to a physical therapist. The evaluation with the physical therapist showed that she would need surgical support. Soon thereafter, she had a C five C6 disc replace...

National Spine Health Foundation CEO, Dr. Rita Roy, narrates the story of Tom Sheedy, a Spinal Champion who shared his 25 year patient journey with her. As a veteran of the U.S. military, Tom had always been very active, hiking and jogging for his personal enjoyment. It wasn’t until his late sixties that he began to experience back pain. Tom underwent two spinal surgeries and his can-do attitude h...

NSHF CEO, Dr. Rita Roy, sits down with Spinal Champion and Family Physician, Dr. Mike Perez, to discuss what prompted him to seek treatment for his lower back pain. As an active man who regularly did yoga and someone who was on the other end of treatment for patients with back pain, Dr. Perez was surprised when one day he wasn't able to get out of bed. Tune in to hear how Dr. Perez got back t...