The spine specialists at Norton Leatherman Spine are skilled orthopedic spine surgeons, but they also have another important ability: determining which patients need surgery for spine problems and which patients don’t.

Story by: Rebecca Hall on May 21, 2019

Norton Leatherman Spine is known around the world for taking care of complex spinal issues, such as scoliosis in children and adults. Its specialists also treat much more common conditions like degenerative spine problems. Such degenerative conditions can cause back pain and imbalance due to the loss of structure and function of the spine over time, usually as a result of aging.

While the Norton Leatherman Spine specialists are skilled orthopedic spine surgeons, they also have another important ability: determining which patients need surgery and which patients don’t. There are more patients who will get better with nonsurgical spine care than those who require surgery. But it often takes a surgeon with spine expertise to know who will do well with surgery, and who will benefit from simpler care.

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“The surgeons make good decisions about who needs surgery and who doesn’t need surgery,” said Steven D. Glassman, M.D., an orthopedic spine surgeon and medical director with Norton Leatherman Spine. “Having the experience of knowing who will do well with an operation very frequently leads you to know who shouldn’t have an operation. We have the capability of taking care of simple problems with simple solutions, and we have the capability of taking care of complicated problems.”

For patients who don’t need surgery, Norton Leatherman Spine provides access to physical therapists, pain management care and physiatry, or physical medicine and rehabilitation.

Listen to Dr. Glassman explain more about Norton Leatherman Spine’s nonsurgical spine care.[vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/uMLCj9wLv0Y”]