What happens when you finally have a diagnosis for your chronic back pain, but no one seems to know how to treat it?

For Dilhan, a former #1-ranked junior tennis player in the UK, Bertolotti Syndrome brought his dreams of becoming a professional athlete to a halt and turned even the simplest everyday activities into a struggle. What started as back pain and nerve pain down his legs eventually left him unable to play tennis, exercise, or even stand for more than a few minutes.

After years of unsuccessful treatments and searching for answers around the world, Dilhan was running out of hope. Until he came across another patient's story that led him to VSI spine surgeon and Bertolotti Syndrome expert, Dr. Colin Haines.

In this episode of Get Back to Your Life®, Dilhan and Dr. Haines come together to share his remarkable journey from debilitating pain to returning to professional tennis. Together, they explore why Bertolotti Syndrome is so often misunderstood or misdiagnosed, what patients should know when conservative treatments fail, and how a minimally invasive, motion-preserving surgical approach helped Dilhan avoid spinal fusion and return to the sport he feared he'd lost forever.

They also discuss the realities of recovery after Bertolotti's surgery, the importance of finding a specialist who understands the condition, and why finding the right treatment starts with a physician who takes the time to understand your symptoms, your goals, and the options available to you.

Plus, Dilhan shares why he's now documenting his own recovery journey to help others searching for the same answers he once desperately needed.

Whether you're living with Bertolotti syndrome, struggling with unexplained chronic lower back pain, or wondering what options remain when nothing seems to work, Dilhan's story is a powerful reminder that a diagnosis doesn't have to be the end of your story.

• Learn more about Bertolotti syndrome treatment at VSI: https://www.spinemd.com/conditions/bertolottis-syndrome/
• Learn more about Spine Surgeon, Dr. Colin Haines: https://www.spinemd.com/medical_team/dr-colin-haines/
• Follow Dr. Haines on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.colin_haines/
• Follow Dilhan's recovery journey on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dilhanwasantha/

Spine surgery has come a long way, but not every patient is offered the same options. In fact, the treatment you're offered can depend a lot on who you ask. Why is that?

In this episode of Get Back to Your Life®, VSI spine surgeons Dr. Christopher Good and Dr. Alex Upfill-Brown have a candid conversation about where spine surgery stands today, where it still falls short, and what patients should know before making decisions about their treatment.

They explore why two surgeons can look at the same problem and recommend very different approaches, the growing role of motion-preservation and minimally invasive treatments, and how rapidly advancing technologies like robotics and AI are making spine surgery more precise, predictable, and safer for patients.

They also discuss why a second, or even third, opinion can be so valuable, the most important questions patients should ask when choosing a spine surgeon, and why planning for recovery should begin before surgery ever takes place.

Plus, Dr. Upfill-Brown shares the unexpected path that led him to spine surgery, why he chose to join VSI, and the personal philosophy that guides the way he cares for every patient.

Whether you're considering spine surgery, searching for another opinion, or simply trying to understand what options may be available, this unfiltered conversation offers an inside look at how spine care is evolving, and just how that evolution can ultimately mean better options and better outcomes for patients.

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For years, Libbi Logan planned her life around her back pain.

Could she make it to her son's basketball game? Would a road trip result in days of recovery? Was playing tennis worth the pain that would follow?

Like so many people living with chronic back pain, every decision became a calculation.

After years of searching for answers, trying countless treatments, and being told there were few options left, Libbi eventually found a Facebook community of patients with Bertolotti's Syndrome. That search ultimately led her to spine surgeon Dr. Colin Haines at VSI, who asked her a question that changed everything:

"What do you want your life to look like?"

After a comprehensive evaluation, including advanced diagnostics that uncovered the true source of her pain, Dr. Haines developed a surgical plan tailored to Libbi's unique anatomy.

Today, Libbi is back on the tennis court, traveling internationally, and living the life she thought she had lost.

Just six months after surgery with at VSI, Libbi:
✔ Played tennis for the first time in over three years
✔ Walked over 15,000 steps a day through Paris (with zero back pain!)
✔ Flew alone, drove 10 hours, stood on a wobbling fishing boat
✔ Is showing up, fully present, for her son's senior year of high school

If you've been told there's nothing more that can be done, that your imaging looks "normal," or you're still searching for answers, Libbi's story is a reminder that oftentimes the right diagnosis changes everything.

VSI® specializes in diagnosing and treating complex spine conditions, including Bertolotti Syndrome and transitional anatomy. If you're still searching for answers, you don't have to stop here.

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