From Debilitating Pain to Mountain Peaks: Denise’s Spine Surgery Success with Dr. Frank Valone

For months, Denise’s life looked completely different. An avid hiker, skier, and runner, she suddenly found herself spending much of her time lying on her side, unable to sit, stand, or walk for long periods without excruciating sciatic pain. “I spent about four to five months either standing or lying on my side, wondering if I’d ever be active again,” she said. “I’m used to doing 10,000 to 12,000 steps a day, and during that time I was only doing 1,000 to 4,000 steps a day. Even sitting in a car was painful.”

After trying physical therapy and two spinal injections without much relief, Denise realized surgery might be the best path forward. That’s when she met Dr. Frank Valone, spine surgeon at California Pacific Orthopaedics. “The difference post-surgery was night and day,” she said. “The entire team was incredible, from the pre-surgery communication and explanations to the follow-up care. Surgery day was straightforward, and everyone was completely on it.”

Following her minimally invasive spine surgery in June 2022, Denise took time to recover and followed all post-op precautions carefully. Within just a few months, she was back to running, skiing, and doing what she loved most. “By that fall, I was running in the woods again,” she said. “That winter, I was skiing. I felt like myself again.”