Musculoskeletal & Orthopedic Rehabilitation

Neck & Spine Rehabilitation

We understand how debilitating neck and back problems can be, causing pain and discomfort and limiting your activities. If you have a spine disorder, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and consultation with a doctor who specializes in rehabilitation medicine will most likely be part of your recovery. At NewYork-Presbyterian, your spine rehabilitation team — consisting of physicians, therapists, and other healthcare providers — will create a personalized treatment plan for you to control your pain and restore your movement, strength, flexibility, and comfort.

Two comprehensive spine care centers

Rehabilitation for neck and back problems is an integral part of the comprehensive care provided at our two renowned spine centers: The Spine Hospital at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center and the Center for Comprehensive Spine Care at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. Both centers have all of the experts you need to receive the most advanced neck and back care. We offer a multidisciplinary approach to back and neck pain. Our team consists of rehabilitation medicine physicians (physiatrists), spine surgeons, occupational and physical therapists.

An experienced team

Your physician performs a comprehensive evaluation of your symptoms and needs and coordinates the rehabilitation services you may need. Our highly trained physical and occupational therapists use a variety of hands-on techniques and exercise approaches to help you achieve the best possible results. Many of our physical therapists are certified by the American Physical Therapy Association as orthopedic clinical specialists and have advanced training in areas such as the Feldenkrais method, McKenzie mechanical diagnostic therapy, functional manual therapy, Maitland joint mobilizations, craniosacral therapy, treatment of pelvic floor problems, Pilates, and yoga. We offer rehabilitation on both an inpatient and an outpatient basis, depending on your needs.

Care for all neck and back disorders

Among our services, we have experts who treat all disorders of the spine, including:

Herniated disks
Spinal stenosis
Radiating pain (radiculopathy)
Coccyx (tailbone) pain
Osteoarthritis of the spine
Impingement syndromes
Whiplash injuries
Posture problems
Fractures
Birth defects
Spinal tumors

If you are recovering from spine surgery, rehabilitation can help relieve your pain and stiffness and restore your function.

What can spine rehabilitation do for you?

Spine rehabilitation may help you avoid spine surgery. We can help you return to your highest level of function and independence while improving your overall quality of life. To achieve these goals, your back and neck rehabilitation program may include:

Physical therapy and exercise programs to improve your range of motion, increase your muscle strength, enhance your flexibility and mobility, and increase your endurance.
Medications or injections, such as image-guided spine injections, nerve blocks, radiofrequency ablation, and other interventional procedures provided by physicians to relieve back pain and other discomforts.
Spinal cord stimulation and neuromodulation, a technique that uses electrical stimulation or delivers medications directly to a target area to modify how the nerves conduct pain signals.
Assistive devices to promote your independence, such as a cane or walker.
Retraining to improve your walking and movement.
Tools to manage your pain and stress.
Education about proper posture, positions, and ways of moving.
Prevention programs to reduce your risk of work-related injuries and other back and neck injuries.

The Schroth Method for scoliosis

Our teams include physical therapists with special training in the Schroth Method, a conservative treatment for people with mild to moderate scoliosis and other spinal deformities. Through specific exercises and corrective breathing techniques, the Method aims to elongate the trunk and correct imbalances in the body. By developing the inner muscles of the rib cage, the Method changes the shape of the upper trunk to gradually correct spinal abnormalities.