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Welcome to SuperSpine.net, the web-address of Physicians Back and Neck Clinic and Athens Physical Therapy.
Physicians Back and Neck Clinic was formed 10 years ago in Athens, Georgia by Christopher Doerr, DO to be a self-contained practice with a physician and physical therapist dedicated to evaluate, diagnose and rehabilitate spine patients who had either non-surgical or post-surgical conditions. The practice now consists of 20 personnel in two offices—Athens and Lavonia, Georgia—and is the preferred provider in the region for noninvasive spine therapy and rehabilitation by referring physicians and patients alike. Upon opening our Lavonia office, we adopted the additional name of Athens Physical Therapy to clarify to the community that we provide both physical medicine and physical therapy services.
For many people, the most frustrating aspect of having back pain is getting understandable answers and learning which specific treatment option would be best for the problem. What is wrong with my back? Whom should I see for this problem? Do I need X-rays or an MRI? Do I need physical therapy, or injections, or surgery? What can I do to help myself?
The right place to start is with a physical medicine evaluation by a physician who concentrates upon spine injuries and conditions. A thorough spine history and physical exam will help to determine what studies might be needed, and to then develop a treatment plan. If our practice has a “bias”, it is to determine who can get better with spine education along with specialized spine physical therapy and exercises, versus who needs referral “up the ladder” for a pain specialist or neurosurgical consultation. It is fortunate that in Northeast Georgia there is a common mindset among our pain specialists and neurosurgeons in favor of this “stepped” approach to spine treatment. We are the starting point. And, we believe that all patients should be knowledgeable of their diagnoses in order to learn how to self-manage their spines.
If we determine that physical therapy is needed—or if you already have a prescription from your personal doctor or specialist for physical therapy—we are pleased to offer the finest, diagnosis-specific spine physical therapy available in the area. Our physical therapists concentrate daily upon back and neck conditions, and combine “high-touch” hands-on therapies with “high-tech” exercises. With your previous history and films in mind, they perform their own examinations to tailor the appropriate therapy for your specific diagnosis (spine treatments that are ideal for one condition can make another condition worse). And, because physical therapy and physical medicine occurs under one roof, there is direct interaction between the specialties on a daily basis, and if any fine-tuning of a therapy plan is necessary, changes can be made immediately. We highly value this interactive environment, and cannot envision providing care any other way.