Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon Mr Alexander Montgomery - Part 1

In this episode of ‘Interview the Expert’ we speak with Mr Alexander Montgomery Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon specialising in back and spine conditions. Mr Montgomery is Regional lead of Spinal Surgery for the NE London and Essex region. He also maintains strong relationships with the best rehab specialists in London and is a firm believer in the benefits of movement, exercise, Pilates, and strength and conditioning.

3:00 - It is rare to meet orthopaedic surgeons interested in strength training and rehabilitation.
5:00 - Does technique matter when it comes to spine pain and pathologies?
7:00 - Deadlift and Squat are a very common injury presentation including many personal trainers. 
9:00 - Technique matters. Bad technique can catch up with you down the lifespan of your spine. 
13:10 - What’s your advice for post fusion procedure rehabilitation? Firstly, the latest fusion hardware has transformed the point at which people could mobilise.
16:42 - What movements keep you within safe bounds after the 3 weeks? Week 3 to week 7 is muscle activation and mobility. Not strength work.
18:25 - The comparison between the general public and elite athletes. 
20:22 - A surgically successful fusion, early movement post initial surgery and adjacent segment disease.
23:02 - Protection of bone and hardware integration. Can this phase be hindered and when can a patient load?
24:30 - No Bending, Lifting, Twisting and how this is expected to be implemented for the patient.
26:15 - Minimally invasive technique description.
29:40 - Minimally invasive fusions. Cages can be installed from the side, back and front.
32:18 - The fusion options and muscle damage with these processes. Modern procedures tend to minimally cut muscle tissue. Whether open surgery procedures that do cut muscles are better than minimally invasive procedures is questionable.