Donald Corenman MD DC | Spine Surgeon Colorado

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Jose
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November 13, 2014 at 10:19 pm

Post count: 9

in reply to: Neck/MRI Reports #11746

You are a blessing! To give the time you do in order to help people on this board is such a great contribution!…Thanks for all you do.

Jose
Member

November 13, 2014 at 5:41 am

Post count: 9

in reply to: Neck/MRI Reports #11738

That is a great link!!…”When to have neck surgery”

But, now I am abit confused:

“Flexion opens the canal and extension narrows it.”

Since I have been doing these McKenzie neck excersices as prescribed by my PT, am I making matters worse based on my MRI findings? The bulges and protrusion, and the osteophyte and the thicknenning ligamentum flavum, etc….it is best for me not to do these? I go back with the neck and then go side to side in that back position…I also do side to side, and I do down. Seems to me that maybe some or all of these 4 excercises are not good.

Thanks

Jose
Member

September 14, 2014 at 5:52 am

Post count: 9

in reply to: MRI Cervical #11422

Yes. I have had good success with accupunture.

I think I might have inflamed one (more) of my knee bursa. I was on my knees on concrete for about 1 hours. When I press right below my knee cap, the tingling sensation comes on outside by the bony bump on the fibula down about 1″. The burning has pretty much gone away. But even the slightest touch right on that spot causes the tingling/pain to come back. Not as bad as a week ago though. So, maybe an inflamed bursa? But I see no swelling at all, and never had swelling, that’s why I keep coming back to a nerve that is compressed by some slight inflamation or ligament. I hope it does heal soon though, I cannot do any type of lower body excersice in fear that I may aggravete it more too soon. Frustrating.

Jose
Member

September 11, 2014 at 8:07 pm

Post count: 9

in reply to: MRI Cervical #11410

Well, my fingers are crossed. I feel much better. The realization that my MRI had some bulges and a slight herniation to the right but my pain was on my left side got me thinking that it had to be muscle/liagament related. I’ve done the following since then:

1- Work on a standing desk
2- Consistently watch my posture and keep my ears over my shoulders
3- Excercise the romboids
4- Do inverted push-ups for the back
5- Got a tempurpedic mattress and sleep with a neck pillow. My old mattress was spring and 20 years old.
6- Prayed every day to get better and find the cause.

I have to say I am much, much, improved.

I do have a new question for you though. About a week ago I was working on my knees on my cellar floor (concrete) for about 1 hour. Then I stained my deck, again on my knees on and off. I did not wear knee pads. A day or so later I felt a burning sensation, like a rug burn on the outside of my right knee about 1 inch in length. If I sit on my knees it dosent produce the pain all the time, but when I bring my butt bak to my heels (to do a stretch), or if I put pressure on the knee just below the knee cap, I get that burning/tingling sensation. Very bothersome, annoying. I read that there is a nerve called the peroneal nerve and when I look at the picture, it seems that it wraps around the outside of the knee. Did I damage that? Will this go away? I’m upset now because I understand if I compressed it, it could take months to heal. Please advice! Thanks

Jose
Member

June 9, 2014 at 7:15 pm

Post count: 9

in reply to: MRI Cervical #10997

I will. I am starting to think your analysis might be right on. The pain seems more superficial, like a muscle or ligament that is caught right below c7 to the left and works down the side of the scapula and into the outside part of my left arm pit. Sometimes it feels like its burning right there in the outer armpit area. My left should pops alot more than my right. However, I do feel the sensation to turn my neck to the left and up and it always pops and gives a bit of relief. I wonder if all the years of working as a draftsman, then on a laptop and even holding the phone to my ear with my shoulder just contracted that entire muscle group so much that its now difficult to release it. I have heard and read about Muscle Energy Technique and some chiropractor and osteopaths do practice this, but they are very difficult to find. I purchased a book titled Massage for Orthopedic Conditions by Hendrickson, and there are dozens of MET release excersices with illustrations. I think I will have my wife assist me in the ones that I cant do myself and see what happens. Will keep you and the board up to date.

Jose
Member

June 3, 2014 at 10:27 pm

Post count: 9

in reply to: MRI Cervical #10938

I think you are right. The more I think about it, the more I believe its not due to the MRI findings. It’s on my left side. It started about 4 years ago with pain in the scapular region up to my lower cervical area, it would hurt even when I sneezed. Over the past few years I’ve tried very hard to change everything – ergonomics, sitting, etc. I worked for over 30 years on a computer and I think it caused a muscle imbalance which led to pain in the joints and ligaments. I have recently started doing core excersices, yoga, and take frequent breaks at work to stand up and walk around for 5 minutes. Perhaps I can reverse some of the damage or at least stop it. I plan to go back and do Pilates which I did many years ago and felt great. Thank you so much for your prompt responses.
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Donald Corenman, MD, DC

Average rating:

81 reviews

Eric S

Sep 26, 2021

by Eric S on Donald Corenman, MD, DC

Successful pars repair at 46 years old

Back in November of 2018 (at 46 years old) I came from Vancouver BC to have a pars repair done with Dr. Donald Corenman at the Steadman Clinic in Vail Colorado. I'm finally posting this review nearly three years later in late 2021. The reason I waited so long was I wanted to know the final result before I posted my review. Unfortunately in that time Dr. Corenman has retired. Nevertheless, I want to post this review of Dr. Corenman and his staff at the Steadman Clinic in their excellent treatment of my L5 pars interarticularis.

I fractured my pars at age 42 back in 2014 when rolling on the gym floor, and was denied treatment by the Canadian healthcare system, probably due to my age. First my GP told me there was no surgical option for a pars defect, which was quite incorrect! I tried to live with it, but the symptoms worsened (periodic random spine slippage and weeks of resultant pain after just bending over to tie my shoe, so I eventually learned to mostly squat and hardly bend). When I finally consulted with Canadian spine surgeons, I was told they believed my pars defect had been congenital (since birth). This was absurd, considering I had done extreme martial arts (including jiu jitsu) for years prior, as well as 5 years of reinforcing steel full time in my 20s, probably the hardest job on the back you can find. No pars defect like mine would possibly have allowed this--ergo it was impossible that I had had the defect since birth. I did however have an asymptomatic congenital spina bifida occulta that made me more susceptible to a pars fracture. In 2014 in one instant, I went from having the strongest back people I knew said they'd ever seen, to being unable to safely bend over and tie my shoe without a non-negligible risk of my spine slipping randomly (which would lead to weeks of pain after each occurrence). This was due to the unilateral L5 pars defect, otherwise known as spondylolysis. It was when lying in pain on the floor 4 years later after maybe the 6th spine slippage event post injury, that I had had enough, and resolved to have surgery. If Canada's "universal health care" said no, I would make lemonade from lemons, and find the very best surgeon in the world at pars repairs. That was Dr. Donald Corenman. Dr. Corenman back in 2018 ran a website https://neckandback.com/ that dedicated many pages to the science of every aspect of pars repairs, from eligibility (good discs on MRI), to best surgical techniques (minimal open compared to minimally invasive), best imaging to use (i.e., O-Arm with Stealth imaging vs. older fluoroscopy), the ideal amount of BMP to use and why not use too much or too little, and much more, all to do with pars repairs, pages upon pages of his site just on the pars, with scientific references and his own extensive expert opinion. As a health research statistician, I was very impressed with this. It was in stark contrast to the websites of other spine surgeons which barely gave the pars a word or two, focusing almost exclusively on fusions. I had found the best surgeon in the world for pars repairs, and so after Dr. Corenman personally screened my MRI to ensure my discs were healthy, I booked the surgery.

Being 46 years old at the time of surgery in 2018, with a 4-year-old pars fracture from 2014 combined with a congenital SBO meant my pars fragment was somewhat atrophied, but it was "very solid", said Dr. Corenman in the operative report. Nevertheless, it was challenging with two things to fix, the pars and SBO, and OR time was around 4 hours. Recovery over the following months was guided by a very clear "Spine binder" from the Steadman Clinic with strict rules of "no BLT" (no bending, lifting or twisting), and illustrated physiotherapy guidelines. They even warned patients to avoid fish oil supplements, which could excessively dampen inflammation and hence slow bone healing. They answered many questions I had during months of recovery, with responses coming from the very supportive Lori Fugate (then director of Dr. Corenman's practice), and Ehrich Bean (then physician's assistant at the practice), as well as a couple calls with Dr. Corenman himself after two of the CT scans. Ehrich Bean offered great advice for taking the spine binder conservatively due to the nature of pars repairs vs. fusions. The final post-op CT scan I had was a couple weeks ago at 34 months post-op, and Dr. Corenman had retired, but I got a very positive and informative call from Eric Strauch (current PA at the Steadman Clinic under Dr. Corenman's replacement there, and who had also worked with Dr. Corenman previously). The staff at the Steadman Clinic were extremely supportive all the way through the process. I should mention, the local Canadian spine surgeon did offer me very good post-operative support including antibiotics as needed to deal with a mild surface incision-site infection early on, booking numerous x-rays when I felt something was amiss, as well as booking all four of my post-op CT scans. I am very grateful for that support also.

My final result shows plenty of solid bone across the pars and a healed SBO, with my vertebral body now a solid bone ring instead of being broken at two places as it was pre-op. Does my spine hold up in the real world? You bet! I have recently dug and moved several yards of dirt and sand and gravel by myself (shovel and wheelbarrow!) to fix our water main, pulled roots from the yard, moved several "portable" (these are HUGE) air conditioners up several flights of stairs my myself, and lifted weights. I now run 2 miles (3.2 KM) several times weekly with a hard 100 meter dash in the middle. I bend deeply before each run I go on, with no spine slippage. My spine feels amazing. I can bend over to do exercise, or real word tasks, with no risk of spine slippage.

My sincere thanks to God, Dr. Donald Corenman, Lori Fugate, Ehrich Bean, Eric Strauch, and the Steadman Clinic, as well as the Canadian spine surgeon who offered me excellent post-operative care back in Canada. You have all given me a new lease on life.

Sincerely,
Eric S

Robert S

May 11, 2021

by Robert S on Donald Corenman, MD, DC

Back Fusion Surgery

I had my entire lumbar spine fused in November of 2018. I had scoliosis , with pinched nerves that were so painful I could hardly walk - and standing for more than a few minutes was impossible. Even sitting was painful.
The fusion surgery produced immediate relief! And the recovery was much easier than I expected.
To this day I can do all the activities I love from hiking, to standing in a stream fly fishing to riding my bike long distances - or just walking down the street with my wife.
Kudos to Dr. Corenman and his staff, (including the two Erics) for taking such good care of me!

Leslie R

Jul 9, 2020

by Leslie R on Donald Corenman, MD, DC

TLIF

I had my TLIF surgery on 6/24/2020 by Dr. Corenman, I can not say enough good things about the Dr or his staff. I was always treated with respect and explained everything throughly, that made it easy for everyone to understand. I highly recommend Dr. Corenman and the Steadman Clinic.

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Jose

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