Considering Back Surgery for Back Pain? Steve Kerr Would Ask You to Reconsider

If you’re a basketball fan, you’re probably aware that the Golden State Warriors have been phenomenal during their recent run in the NBA playoffs. Headlined by their star-studded roster of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Kevin Durant, they’re on a collision course with Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, they’ve had to do all this without their head coach, Steve Kerr. Steve Kerr has been sidelined with recurrent symptoms from complications from a back surgery he had in 2015.

Coach Kerr’s recent health challenges have been well-documented. However, Kerr has been very open and blunt about how he has been feeling and dealing with his symptoms and pains. During a recent media session before a playoff game, he offered this advice: “I can tell you if you are listening out there: If you have back problems, stay away from surgery. I can say that from the bottom of my heart. Rehab, rehab, rehab.” It’s true that in some situations, back surgery may be the best option, but we have always encouraged our patients to strongly consider physical therapy. As Kerr can attest, there is a risk with any kind of invasive procedure, and especially with back surgery, the risks and complications can be very difficult to cope with and often debilitating. 

Studies such as this one published by the Journal of American Medical Association have shown an increase in unnecessary back surgeries (and associated complications). Separately, another study of spinal fusion surgery found that the surgical approach didn’t seem to have much better results for alleviating back pain as non-surgical treatments. If you’re experiencing any sort of back pain, you should schedule a visit with a physical therapist to find out why you are experiencing pain. A board-certified and licensed physical therapist can help identify the cause and provide treatment and therapy options. More often than not, you’d be surprised how beneficial a long-term treatment and rehabilitation plan can be to address your back pain.

We all know hindsight is 20/20 and as we continue to wish the coach the best in his recovery from his complications of back surgery, we’re sure he’ll agree with us that you should exhaust all physical therapy and fitness treatment options before you consider a surgical back procedure. Contact us to schedule an appointment with Dr. Cindy Zhang and get started on your road to recovery today.