We’ve all known someone — maybe you are that someone — who has battled serious neck or back pain. It can be frustrating, even frightening, to figure out what’s really going on and how to find lasting relief. Fortunately, Dr. Kyle Kesler, spine specialist at Center for Sports Medicine & Orthopaedics, recently shared some powerful insight and hope for people who are struggling.
“Back pain isn’t always just in your back.”
Back and neck pain can be tricky. It doesn’t always feel like a back issue. In fact, as Dr. Kesler explains, some people show up in his clinic complaining about leg pain and have no idea it’s actually starting in the spine.
“Everybody knows about sciatica — that shooting pain down your leg — but that’s not always what it looks like. There’s a condition called spinal stenosis, which just means pinching,” said Dr. Kesler.
And when those nerves are pinched, they don’t function properly.
A Garden Hose and Tomatoes?
Yes, you read that right. Dr. Kesler uses a clever gardening analogy to help people understand what spinal stenosis is:
“If I gave you a hose to water your garden and then started stepping on it — a little more, a little more — eventually, not enough water would reach your plants. They’d wither. That’s what happens to your nerves with spinal stenosis. The pressure builds up and your nerves don’t work right.”
That pressure often causes aching in the legs and fatigue when walking — not just sharp pain.
“People live with this for years… and it’s so fixable.”
One of the most surprising and hopeful things Dr. Kesler shared is that many people go years thinking their pain is just part of getting older, when it’s actually something that can be treated — often with a simple outpatient surgery.
“This is a condition that is so fixable,” he said. “The surgery takes about 45 minutes. No metal, no fusion, just opening up space for the nerves. People go home the same day and often feel improvement within days.”
He even does the procedure on patients well into their 90s.
So What Can You Do?
While stenosis is common and often related to normal wear and tear, Dr. Kesler encourages proactive steps to reduce risk:
“Keeping your posture upright, your back strong, and your muscles healthy can help prevent that wear and tear.”
And what about those posture braces you see on social media?
“They’re okay if you use them as a reminder to train your body. But if they’re just holding you up, your muscles aren’t learning anything.”
Ready for Answers?
Dr. Kesler is currently accepting new patients at Center for Sports Medicine & Orthopaedics and would love to help you understand and treat your back pain — especially if it’s been quietly affecting your daily life for years.
“Sometimes people just chalk it up to age — ‘I’m just getting older’ — but there’s often something we can do. It’s worth looking into.”
To schedule a visit, it’s as easy as calling (423) 624-2696 or clicking here to schedule online.
