Get Back To Your Life®

What happens when a career-ending injury is followed by years of failed treatments, multiple surgeries, and no clear answers? In this episode, Sergeant of Investigations, Tim Putney, shares his journey through chronic pain after an on-duty injury nearly ended his law enforcement career and sent him on a years-long search for answers. What began as a single on-duty injury became a years-long road m...

"I think I found the person who can help me." Those were the words Kellie whispered to her husband at 2 a.m. after nearly 20 years of chronic back pain, four failed surgeries, and doctors who kept telling her there was nothing more they could do. In this episode, Kellie shares the emotional reality of living with Bertolotti Syndrome, a frequently overlooked spinal condition that robbed her of runn...

If you've been living with back or neck pain for a while, and now spine surgery is part of the conversation, it can feel overwhelming, especially when you're trying to decide between disc replacement and spinal fusion. You may find yourself searching for answers, reading other patients' stories, and wondering what the right decision actually is. In this episode of Get Back to Your Life®, VSI spine...

If you're in the middle of trying to figure out what to do about your back pain, whether that means researching your diagnosis, weighing surgical options, or trying to understand what recovery actually looks like, this episode was made for you. We've done something a little different with this one... We went back through some of our most powerful conversations and pulled the moments that matter mo...

"I was told I needed a multi-level fusion. I didn't even know disc replacement existed." Nick's back pain started in his early 20s. After a discectomy in his mid-20s, he returned to an active life — until years later when severe sciatica came back and began affecting everything from his ability to put on a belt or sit in a chair.  Multiple surgical consultations led to the same recommendation: spi...

How do you stay active when pain keeps getting in the way? If your fitness goals get off track because of pain, you're not alone — and even better, you're not out of options. Pushing through pain, ignoring warning signs, or waiting to "get better first" often leads to setbacks, frustration, and giving up altogether. Most of us aren't lacking motivation; we're missing a clear plan for what to do be...

Living with chronic back pain often means slowly adapting your life around it. Over time, everyday things – sitting comfortably, traveling, sleeping through the night, keeping up with family, start to require planning, compromise, or avoidance altogether. The hardest part isn't usually the pain itself, but the fear that this may simply be how life will always feel.  After nearly 20 years of back p...

When headaches start shaping your decisions — what you say yes to, where you go, how you plan your day —they're so much more than "just a bad day." They're controlling your life. And you deserve better than living around your pain. Migraines affect 40% of the global population, yet they remain one of the most misunderstood and dismissed health conditions; many sufferers wait YEARS before seeking h...

What if the secret to healing faster was already in the air you breathe? In this special on-location episode of Get Back to Your Life®, Dr. Christopher Good , Spine Surgeon and President at VSI, breaks down one of the latest breakthroughs in spine surgery recovery, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy , and how it's being used right here at VSI to help people who suffer from back and neck pain recover faster...

Living with chronic back pain isn't only physical. It can steal moments, memories, and pieces of who you are. Today's guest, Lizette, knows this reality firsthand.  A former Division I athlete and active mom, she found herself unable to hold her own son, trapped on a rollercoaster of temporary fixes: 17 injections, three ablations, and heavy medications that left her foggy and disconnected from he...

If you've been diagnosed with Bertolotti syndrome, or suspect it may be the source of your pain, this episode is your lifeline. Whether you're searching for treatment options, understanding what a Bertolotti resection surgery is, or wondering why your chronic low back pain has been dismissed for years, this doctor-patient conversation delivers real answers. Dr. Colin Haines , a nationally recogniz...

Migraines affect more than 1 billion people worldwide, but despite their prevalence, they're too often misunderstood, misdiagnosed, and dismissed as "just a bad headache". The truth? Migraines are a complex, invisible, and many times disabling neurological disorder.   VSI neurologist Dr. Ella Akkerman brings clarity and compassion to this conversation, breaking down symptoms, triggers and solution...

Is stress making your pain worse, or is your pain elevating your stress? What if the answer is both? This episode unpacks the powerful mind-body connection between chronic pain and mental health, bringing light to the invisible ways they interact. Because here's the truth: mental health and physical health are deeply connected; and when one suffers, the other often does too. In recognition of Ment...

It's 2025, and women are still fighting to be believed, especially in medicine. From being told "it's all in your head" to waiting years for a real diagnosis, many women know the silent sting of being dismissed. This experience has a name: medical gaslighting — and it's more common than you might think.  In this powerful episode of Get Back to Your Life®, we meet Jakki, a VSI patient, mental healt...

Still in pain after spine surgery? You're not alone - and more importantly, you're not out of options.   In this powerful episode, two of the nation's top spine surgeons — Dr. Christopher Good and Dr. Ehsan Jazini  — dive into one of the most challenging realities in spine care: when surgery doesn't fully relieve the pain .   They'll uncover why post-surgical pain can persist, the overlooked cause...

If you've been stuck in the endless loop of trying everything for your low back pain—with no lasting relief—this episode is for you. You've done the massage guns. The YouTube stretches. The painkillers. Maybe even acupuncture, back braces, or chiropractors. And yet... your back still hurts. You're not imagining it. You're not weak. And you're definitely not alone. Lower back pain affects 1 in 4 Am...

You work hard, stay active, and make healthy eating choices—sounds like the perfect formula for wellness, right? But what if skimping on sleep is holding you back? Poor sleep habits could be silently sabotaging your energy, performance, and overall health. In this episode, Dr. Thomas Nguyen, a leading expert in sleep science, reveals the crucial role sleep plays in recovery, longevity, and optimal...

Does your jaw ever pop, ache, or lock up? Do you wake up with headaches, ear pain, or even a sore neck? Maybe you've written it off to stress, poor posture, or a 'bad night's sleep.' Perhaps you've tried mouthguards, painkillers, or that trending TikTok jaw-cracking trick—only to find that nothing works.   While this may have left you frustrated - you're not alone. Millions struggle with TMJ disor...

Spending long hours on your feet can take a serious toll on your body, especially your back—and few professionals feel this more acutely than educators. From standing for hours to racing between classrooms and handling high-stress situations, the physical and emotional demands of education can quietly chip away at your health. In fact, on average educators take approximately 12,000 steps per day a...

In this special New Year's episode, we explore the resolutions of doctors as they strive to prioritize health, happiness, and balance in 2025. From finding balance in their busy schedules to prioritizing health and happiness, these medical professionals share the small yet powerful changes they're planning to make for a brighter year ahead. Whether seeking to improve your physical health, boost yo...

Winter weather can take a serious toll on your back. In this episode, Spine Surgeon, and winter enthusiast, Dr. Colin Haines shares the common pitfalls that can result in seasonal back pain, including improper snow shoveling techniques, slipping on ice, and cold weather inactivity. Discover practical tips to protect your spine, stay active, and prevent injuries throughout the season. Plus, learn h...

Skiing isn't just a sport—it's a passion that challenges your body and feeds your soul. But what happens when severe back pain threatens to take that joy away?   In this episode, meet skier and dad Chris Denkers, whose love for skiing wasn't just about carving the slopes - it was about coaching his twin boys, Wyatt and Riley, national snowboarding competitors who live with cystic fibrosis. When de...

This Veterans Day, we honor the courage and resilience of those who have served our country, recognizing that their bravery often comes with a price—chronic and debilitating pain. U.S. veterans experience significantly higher rates of back and chronic pain compared to civilians and are 40% more likely to suffer from severe pain. Whether due to the physical demands of service, accidents, or injurie...

Millions of young athletes dedicate themselves to reaching the next level in their sport. But with intense training and early specialization comes a troubling rise in sports-related overuse injuries—like stress fractures and Pars injuries—that sideline kids from competition, leaving parents feeling helpless and young athletes questioning their future. Parents watching their child suffer from sport...

With the rise of competitive youth sports and year-round training, overuse injuries in young athletes are becoming a growing concern for parents. Each year, millions of children experience sports-related injuries, many due to excessive training and lack of recovery time. In this episode, Spine Surgeon Dr. Colin Haines and Sports Medicine Specialist Dr. Niteesh Bharara delve into the causes, signs,...