@marield65. Yes, ART not only helped my back pain, it's darn near completely gone! It's the best thing I have done for pain. Much, much better than any medication I have used, without any bad side effects. You need to check it out on Google. Just enter, active release technique (ART) in the search. It will come back with choices of sites to read about it. Then, I did a search on Google Maps to find a practitioner near me. It turns out that most practitioners are chiropractors who have gotten additional certification in ART. I looked up a few of the people listed, and found a very well qualified chiropractor who is ART certified in my area, Dr. Todd Andrews. I live in Yorba Linda, California. I don't know where you live, but you should be able to use the steps I gave to find someone in your area. I can't say enough about how much ART has helped me. I couldn't walk, or do any activity before without feeling enormous pain in my back, sciatic, hip,, knee, and ankle on the right side. I too was headed for major surgery awith rods and pins for my L4 fused with my L5. My surgeon encouraged me to find out if PT would help me avoid surgery so I went to PT for 3 months. It didn't help. Then I read about ART on this site and decided to try it. I talked to my PT, and she thought it would be fine to try, but to not let him do chiropractic manipulation on me.

I went to the first session of ART, and I felt better immediately after. I had 8 total treatments at 2 per week. It's been a month and I still have no pain when doing most things. I do have pain when I sleep on my sides. If I sleep on my back with a pillow under my knees, I am pain free. I go back tomorrow for a tweak and to make sure things are still good. My cost was $95/session for his work on my back problem only. I had him work on my left shoulder, as well as my back for 2 sessions and they were each $145 because of the expanded time. He also uses Laser Therapy to warm up the muscles so they respond better to the ART. I've never had that before, but altogether it has worked for me. And, he hasn't even offered to do manipulation of my bones. I'm happy with the therapy and definitely won't be having surgery. I will also join a Yoga group as soon as I can. Restorative Yoga is great for making and keeping a strong core.

I hope this has been helpful. Gail B Ledesma

Gail, this is Marie Devlin and thank you so much for your information. I live in Rhode Island, about 1 hour from Boston, and I will definitely look into that. My neurosurgeon is head of The Spine Center at Rhode Island hospital and has a physiologist in his practice. I will talk to my neurosurgeon about this and why he never mentioned it to me.
I hope that I would be a candidate for the treatment you mentioned because in December I had back surgery, a cyst on my spine, in April I had a knee replacement and didn't take it well, either the anesthesia or pain meds didn't agree with me and I had Delirium for 4 days which was so awful for me and my family, I am so scared to go through it in case it would happen again. Long story. But I will let you know how I make out and thank you so much.
Marie

@gailb A while back I mentioned the ART technique. It does do wonders if you can find the right technician. If you live in Eastern PA, there are two that I have used. On in Bath, PA , a gal. And one in Lancaster. Both are chiropractors. Now I live too far from the one in Bath and I no longer drive, but I started with her. After a poor experience with a general Chiropractor, I thought I'd never use another one. But one day I met this gal and when I found out she was a Chiropractor, I said, thanks, but no thanks. She asked what my problem was and she said, I can give you exercises that can do the same a surgery! That sounded like something I should at least try. When I moved to Lancaster, I found one very close. I've been with him now for 7+ years. @gailfaith

@ marield65 May I make a suggestion? You addressed you reply to "gail", but have you noticed how many "gail"s there seem to be responding to this site? @gailfaith

My surgeon is at the Spine Center at St.Jude's here in Fullerton, California. He had never heard of ART but encouraged me to explore it in lieu of surgery. So, don't be surprised if your surgeon or neurologist haven't heard of it. They can Google it and find out what it is. It's completely non-invasive and helps unbundle muscles and nerves that have gotten bound up due to trauma and/or surgery. It works for me. No chiropractic manipulation is involved. Only deep muscle pressure while moving the limbs involved. Good luck.

@gailb In my previous note, I mentioned about a gal I used in Bath. PA. that was great at the ART technique. However, when she worked on me, I did not have to move my limbs while she worked on me! But when I started with the fellow here in Lancaster, he did. When I mentioned him that she didn't, he said that is what the "active" in the Active Release Technique is! But for me, she was better than he is, but I sure depend on him a lot regardless. So if you find someone that doesn't require you to move your limbs, don't think they don't know what they are doing. @gailfaith

Gailfaith, And how are you doing with this one . For 7 years and what does it cost and how many times a week do you go? And is. This a life time thing? What do they to you and does it hurt.?

Thank you. I will be more specific Gailfaith.

I did find a few Chiropracters who are doing ART. I have to say that I'm really grateful that Mayo connect added scoliosis to the Bone and Joint group. I know no one who has scoliosis, therefore, connecting with others is not only helpful but uplifting as well.

Thank you for sharing. I'm going to make an appointment soon.