When somebody is suffering from neck pain, their choice of treatment can make a huge difference in their comfort, their recovery, and their ability to function at their former levels. For a professional athlete, that difference can dictate how fast they’re able to return to their career, the extent to which they’re able to recapture their former skills, and even whether they’re forced into early retirement. In 2021, National Hockey League player Jack Eichel fought for his right to have the surgical procedure he preferred—artificial disc replacement (ADR)—and prevailed against the reluctance of the league. His experience paved the way for other professional athletes to get ADR and illustrates potential advantages of the procedure over spinal fusion.
Jack Eichel suffered a herniated disc during a game with the New York Islanders while he was playing as center for the Buffalo Sabres. Eichel wanted to undergo ADR to treat the injury to both shorten the recovery time he would need to get back on the ice and to preserve range of motion in his neck. Buffalo team physicians balked, however, over concerns that the artificial disc would not hold up to the rigors of professional hockey. The team insisted that he have a spinal fusion surgery instead.
Eichel held firm on his preference, which led to him being traded to the Las Vegas Golden Knights. His new team acquiesced to his preference, and he had the ADR procedure only eight days after joining them. He skated for the first time with the Golden Knights three months after that against the Colorado Avalanche. By contrast, recovery from fusion surgery, which permanently fuses two or more vertebrae together, can require an absence of six months or more from competition as the bones heal.
His former team’s hesitancy is understandable—while ADR has been around for decades, it had not previously been tested in NHL hockey, which is a notoriously physical sport. Now, several seasons later, it is clear Eichel’s choice has served him well. In the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs, his six goals and twenty assists over twenty-two games helped Las Vegas win the Stanley Cup, and in the current season he is on pace to have the best individual season of his career. His successful experience also opened up the option for other NHL players to undergo ADR in lieu of spinal fusion, including Chicago’s Tyler Johnson and Philadelphia’s Joel Farabee.
Professional athletes in the prime years of their careers are acutely aware that an injury robs them of time they can’t get back again. ADR replaces a damaged disc with a synthetic prosthesis that is designed to function like a normal spinal disc in a minimally invasive procedure, which both reduces the time a patient must spend in the hospital and speeds up their overall recovery. For individuals who rely on their physical ability to perform well in their chosen sport and whose window of opportunity to excel is short, being able to preserve their range of motion and get back to full activity faster are powerful incentives to consider ADR as a treatment option. It is also less likely to lead to future surgeries than spinal fusion, as preserving natural motion reduces the risk of developing adjacent segment disease (ASD).
For nonathletes and those whose interest in sport is only recreational, and who are still in pain despite receiving conservative care such as physical therapy, ADR can also be a beneficial alternative to major surgery. While not every neck or back problem can be solved through ADR, it is an effective treatment for many painful, debilitating conditions. Consulting a spine specialist experienced in both ADR and spinal fusion can help you evaluate your options and determine which treatment is right for your case.
You don’t have to be a professional hockey player to have your life derailed by neck pain. Dr. Tiffany Rogers, a board-certified orthopedist with a background in physical therapy, specializes in spine care and can help you find the least invasive option to effectively treat the cause of your pain. To find out more about ADR, contact us here to schedule your appointment.
Mike was barely able to walk. I did his surgery and now he’s traveling the world with his wife! That pic is from Africa, hiked up to see mountain gorillas…
I feel very blessed to have walked in to the office for a consultation with Dr Rogers. On that day upon review of my MRI report she determined that I needed emergency surgery due to extremely compressed spinal cord at C3/4. Now I knew it was compressed for some time but I avoided going to the surgeon because I was afraid to have surgery. She calmly explained the alternatives to not having the surgery and it was a no brainer. My symptoms had gotten really bad and I knew she was right. I trusted her judgement and I am so happy that I had the surgery. Almost immediately my symptoms improved!! All of the nurses and other doctors at Torrance Memorial praised her work also and she was very well respected. I would recommend Dr Rogers because not only was my surgery a success but she also showed great compassion for me because I was very sad to be in the hospital during the Holidays. To me this shows she cares about healing the whole person.
I have Dr Rogers to thank for the rest of my life. At 12 I was told by a specialist that I was born with a deformity in my spine which was causing slight scoliosis. At 20, I started experiencing back pain, constantly feeling the need to crack my back for some relief, tossing and turning all hours of the night, seeking massages. As I started to get older, the pain only increased. By 23, my back began to “lock” on me. I would bend over or lean forward and my nerves would pitch, causing me to not be able to move for a few seconds. At first I had kaiser insurance, the “spinal specialist” if you can even call her that said there was no possible surgery to fix my spine and back pain. She told me PT and epidural spinal injections were the answer….. (wrong, very wrong!) I got this run around with kaiser for 2 years!!!!
By 25, I was BEYOND frustrated and in pain, so my (now) husband put me on his insurance, and I was able to find Dr Rogers. She requested an MRI and X-rays, and saw what was wrong with my spine and what needed to be done. I needed a spinal fusion and decompression. She even referred me to a spinal specialist in LA, to get a second recommendation, and he agreed with everything she wanted to do for my surgery. I had full trust in Dr Rogers. She was always kind, always informative, and reassured me I was going to be alright. As a fellow athlete, she understood what I was sacrificing for this surgery. My love for playing soccer would have to come to an end post surgery due to the risk of blowing out another level of my spine. She was compassionate and again gave me reassurance I would eventually be pain free and be able to carry my own children which was the most important to me.
I underwent my lumbar spinal surgery with a spinal fusion and decompression August 2016. The pain and recovery I experienced post surgery was the most pain I’ve ever felt. Pain meds helped, but you really have to be dedicated to taking the vitamins Dr Roger recommends, and doing the amazing PT she prescribed. The PT was Pilates based, and it seriously did my recovery wonders.
By March 2017, I was ready to move to another state and went in for one last check up with Dr Rogers. She did another X-ray, and told me that my fusion looked so good and healthy , that I could start playing soccer again. Not competitively, but recreationally, and now I am nearly 2 years post spinal surgery, playing on 2 soccer teams, active in the gym, and my husband and I are trying to start a family.
I still experience soreness in my lower spine if I lift too heavy of objects the wrong way or work out too hard, but that is to be expected. I have been off any type of medication spine related for over a year now, and it’s nothing a little ice won’t cure. All in all I have a lot to thank Dr Rogers for. She saved my back.
Thank you so much Dr Rogers!!!!
Dr Rogers has been taking care of my back issues for years. It came to a point that I did need a major surgery. A fusion. I am so glad it was done. Just wished I’d done it earlier. My leg pain is gone, the back spasms are gone , feeling like my ribs were stabbing me is also gone and though I’m still healing I feel so much better. I am so grateful to Dr Rogers !! I would highly recommend her for spine issues. Forever thankful!! The staff is professional and friendly also.
Update!!
It’s been a year and a half since my back surgery with Dr Rogers and I’m doing great!! Thank you again Dr Rogers!!
There are two major factors in my thinking a doctors office is 5 stars… #1 is the office and staff itself… #2 is the moment you meet the doctor and how they present themselves to you. Being someone that’s had multiple surgeries, dealt with dozens of doctors and facilities… if these two are in line when you go on your first visit, you know the experience and the healing to come will be worth it.
I have to say, the offices, ease of getting there, parking… were amazing… the staff at the front desk (and on the phone for that matter) were some of the most engaging, informative and easy to deal with that I’ve ever encountered. They made it EASY for me to check in, etc… I was taken in at the exact time of my appointment (I did listen and get there 15 minutes early) and was escorted through, had X-rays and waited for Dr. Rogers…
The moment I met Dr. Rogers, I had faith that I was in the right hands. Her eye contact, the way she shook my hand, the way she listened… the deep understanding she immediately had for my symptoms and the journey I’ve been on for the last 10 years after of my spine surgery in New York… made me incredibly calm and gave me such peace.
I see her again next week, after a battery of tests… but I look forward to finding answers with this healing doctor and her colleagues and staff…
xoxox
I am writing this review on behalf of Dr. Rogers patient, Yolanda Phelps.
Dr.Rogers performed an anterior cervical disectomy and cervical fusion on me last Tuesday. I am home now and my recovery is going great. Dr. Tiffany Rogers was so caring, thorough, and made me feel so comfortable during this difficult procedure. She took very good care of me and I am so thankful for her help.
Also her PA Jeff was so kind and helpful as well. Thank you so much you two for everything!!
PS don’t waste time going through pain go to dr. Tiffany Rogers. She does all the bells and whistles!!
Dr. Rogers is Exceptional. I am a patient of hers. I was in extreme pain Christmas week. Doctor Rogers ordered an MRI. Diagnosis was dislocated shoulder. I called her office 12/27/18. Doctor called back. She asked if I could be in her office immediately. I saw her within 1/2 hour. She injected me with Cortisone.What a God given gift!
Dr. Rogers is obsessed with the ability to heal. She went above and beyond to releive my pain.
Thank you Dr. Rogers.
