Mike Hewitt, a 55-year-old retired Air Force veteran, didn’t think he would ever again be able to enjoy running, golfing, or playing with his grandchildren. For over two decades, he lived with chronic back pain from a previous injury. Despite years of physical therapy and treatments, his pain persisted. Thanks to a recent prodisc L TDR surgery, he is regaining his quality of life.
Although Mike is still recovering, he has noticed significant improvements in his range of motion and daily functionality. As his physical therapy progresses, he is hopeful to return to activities he once enjoyed, such as running and golfing. He is especially excited about staying active with his 12 grandchildren.
According to Mike:
“I can move and function a lot better now. I’m doing stuff around the house and yard work… The limitations on my movement have significantly improved. I used to have constant pain shooting down my leg and into my foot. It’s a lot better now.”
According to Dr. Justin Clark, Mike's surgeon, Great Lakes Neurosurgical Associates at University of Michigan Health-West Hospital:
“With the continual improvement in insurance coverage, more of my patients will be able to benefit from disc replacement technology... Using a minimally invasive anterior approach, my patients also benefit from a much faster recovery and return to active life, while decreasing the likelihood of adjacent level degeneration.”
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