CDA Spine

04/21/2026

Your MRI is not your diagnosis.

I see this every day -
People treated based on what a scan looks like, not what they actually feel.

Bulges. Degeneration. “Abnormalities.”
Most of these exist in people with zero pain.

What matters is correlation:
👉 Symptoms
👉 Exam
👉 Imaging

When those line up, treatment works.
When they don’t, people undergo procedures they never needed.

This is where judgment matters.

Treat the patient. Not the MRI.

If you’ve been told you need spine surgery and it doesn’t feel right - get a second opinion.

📍 CDA Spine - Dr. Larson
🔗 Link in bio

“The mind that diagnoses you, and the hands that heal you.”

CdaSpine BackPain Neurosurgery MedicalMyths PatientFirst

04/09/2026

Not every disc needs the same answer.

This case:
Regenerative medicine helped at L5/S1.
But L4/5 was a different problem, and required a targeted discectomy.

Now we’re evaluating for artificial disc replacement.

Same spine. Different levels. Different solutions.

The point isn’t the procedure, it’s the diagnosis.
Knowing what you’re treating… and when to use each tool.

There’s a difference between offering a treatment…
and knowing when it’s actually the right one.

“The mind that diagnoses you, and the hands that heal you.”

SecondOpinion SpineCare CdaSpine

04/04/2026

04/01/2026

Motions matters… even on April 1st. 😉 “The mind that diagnoses you, and the hands that heal you.”

03/28/2026

Movement matters.
But precision matters more.

Not all back pain is the same.
And not all treatment should be either.

The key isn’t doing more.
It’s understanding more.

That’s where the right plan begins.

“The mind that diagnoses you, and the hands that heal you”

Link in bio to learn more or book at consultation with Dr. Larson.

03/21/2026

There’s a moment - not when the pain starts…
but when it starts to take something from you.

Your movement changes.
Your focus drifts.
Your confidence slips just enough that you notice it.

That’s the moment to act.

Not when you’re broken.
When you’re starting to fall off your edge.

Because the goal isn’t just to get out of pain, it’s to return to full performance.

To move the way you expect to.
To trust your body again.
To operate without hesitation.

That requires more than symptom control.
It requires precision in diagnosis, judgment in treatment, and respect for motion.

That’s where we work.

Dr. Larson
Motion Preservation Spine Surgery

“The mind that diagnoses you, and the hands that heal you.”

03/19/2026

Not all fusion is the same.

The goal isn’t just to operate - it’s to choose the right operation for the right patient.
The difference between good and bad isn’t just technique - it’s judgment.

Movement matters.

When care becomes constrained, patients don’t just lose options on paper - they lose outcomes in real life.

“The mind that diagnoses you, and the hands that heal you.”

03/05/2026

Post-op day 1 after cervical disc replacement.

Many patients expect to be flat in bed after spine surgery, but that’s not always necessary.

Instead, he’s back in the office the next day talking about recovery after cervical artificial disc replacement.

Artificial disc replacement is designed to treat the problem while preserving motion in the neck.

But great spine surgery doesn’t start in the operating room.

It starts with the right diagnosis and the right decision - and a patient-first approach to getting it done.

“The mind that diagnoses you, and the hands that heal you.”

Consultation information available at the link in bio.

03/04/2026

Most spine surgery stories don’t start in the operating room, they start with the right diagnosis.

The right operation, for the right reason, at the right time.

They start months earlier, navigating imaging, opinions, and insurance approval.

Today this patient is here for cervical artificial disc replacement after successfully obtaining out-of-network gap coverage approval.

He fought through the insurance process to get the right operation.

In this video we talk about the process, the decision to move forward, and what happens next.

Artificial disc replacement is designed to preserve motion in the neck, but the most important step always comes before surgery:

Making sure the operation is truly the right one.

Tomorrow we’ll see him back in the office after surgery.

Part 2 coming soon.

“The mind that diagnoses you, and the hands that heal you.”

Consultation information available at the link in bio.

03/04/2026

The most important part of spine surgery isn’t the hardware.

It’s the judgment.

Before you agree to a fusion, a disc replacement, or a multilevel procedure, make sure you understand:
• Why this surgery?
• Why now?
• What are the long-term consequences?
• What are the alternatives?

The right operation - for the right reason, at the right time.

Motion matters. Judgment matters more.

“The mind that diagnoses you, and the hands that heal you.”

If you’re unsure about a recommendation, a second opinion can provide clarity.

Consultation details at the link in bio.

02/28/2026

Winter Clinic 2026 conference sessions. Chairlift consults. Late-night laughs.
The best meetings happen on the mountain and around the table.
Love the work - and the people who make it meaningful.

“The mind that diagnoses you, and the hands that heal you”



Aspen SkiLife RockyMountains
AprèsSki WorkHardPlayHard
MovementMatters