Patient Testimonials

After many years of living with back pain and two laminectomies, I was tired of living my life with back pain day and night. My wife introduced me to Dr. Neil Badlani and after my evaluation and consultation, one month later, my life changed. Dr. Badlani performed an Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (ALIF) between L5 & S1.

I woke from the surgery pain free and after a short recovery, returned to work. One and a half years later, I am still pain free and living my life to its fullest. I would like to thank Dr. Badlani and his excellent staff for their professionalism, nurturing care, and most of all for allowing me to live my life with no more back pain!

Thanks to Dr. Palumbo and his team at The Orthopedic Sports Clinic, my shoulder is 100%, and I’m now able to do everything I love….golf, hunt, fish, work out, & run.

Dr. Palumbo and all of the staff at The Orthopedic Sports Clinic are so professional in their work. They show tremendous commitment with patients to make sure they are taken care of. Unfortunately, I had to spend a lot of time in the clinic, but with a lot of thorough rehab and training, I was able to recover fully and go on to compete at the highest level while at the University of Alabama. There is no doubt in my mind The Orthopedic Sports Clinic is the “go to clinic” when it comes to sports injuries.

My daughter has been a patient of The Orthopedic Sports Clinic for over 5 years. She is a former competitive gymnast and is currently an All-Star cheerleader. The care that we have received over the years has been second to none. We drive over 45 minutes just to see this group of professionals. Dr. Palumbo is absolutely brilliant and balances my daughter’s well-being from her sports injuries along with her need to compete with her team during the competition season. I trust his judgment completely. The Sports Rehab group is just as competent. We have tried PT closer to home (Woodlands) and just haven’t come close to their level of effectiveness anywhere. My family has referred countless All-Star Cheerleaders to this office and those cheerleaders stay patients throughout their competitive years until they leave for college. Several fellow athletes have tried physicians closer to their home, and after not seeing the improvement they need or after watching how my daughter bounces back with minimal time out of the sport, they too end up at The Orthopedic Sports Clinic. Any athlete serious about their sport needs to be treated at this clinic. It’s simply the best in Houston for treating competitive athletes.

I have been a multi-sport athlete for over 30 years and had learned to live with chronic back pain. Over the three decades of intense physical exercise, I had learned to manage the pain through chiropractic care. In January of 2013, the chronic back pain took a drastic turn for the worst. An MRI revealed a five millimeter disc herniation. My ability to walk, stand and move was severely hampered. I was in constant unrelenting pain. At the forefront of my consciousness, to exist was to suffer!!! I had the good fortune of meeting Dr. Badlani and his PA, Cheryl, who recommended surgery as one of the options to alleviate the immeasurable pain I was experiencing. On January 15, 2013, Dr. Badlani performed a surgical procedure on my lower back.

The relief I obtained was immediate. Being “pain free” was a welcoming new sensation!!! I have had other medical doctors view the work of Dr. Badlani and their assessment is uniformly consistent in that they all concur that the work performed by Dr. Badlani is stellar, unmatched in its excellence and exhibits the highest level of medical and surgical competence.

Dr. Badlani is eminently qualified in his chosen profession. He is in my opinion a rising young star in the field of his endeavor. It is without equivocation or hesitation that I singularly and categorically recommend Dr. Badlani to whomever is a candidate for back surgery or any other types of orthopedic surgical care.

I am writing to express my gratitude for a “job well done”. I put that in quotation marks because for them it is their job but, for my family it was a miracle!

I started experiencing back pain around March of 2013, not severe and manageable with Ibuprofen. It progressed into pain shooting down my left leg periodically. Then in August it turned into severe, unrelenting pain in my left leg. I was unable to be in a sitting position and could barely walk. I could not even drive myself to the doctor, I could only lay in the backseat and be driven everywhere by my wife. I had an MRI done and found out that I had a herniated disc between L5 and S1. This was devastating news to me as I am the bread winner in my family. No way could I be out of work for a back surgery. Then to think of the horror stories you hear of “never being right again” or “still in pain”. I didn’t have a choice though, I could no longer function in the shape I was in. I was referred to Dr. Badlani by my endocrinologist (of all people) Dr. Orzeck. Dr. Badlani was able to see me the same day we called to make the appointment. I asked about alternatives to surgery, and he was honest with me. He said you can try injections, but we will probably be having this same conversation in a few weeks when they don’t work.The amount of disc that had herniated was “impressive” he said. So, I relented and scheduled surgery. I went into the operating room around 11am and WALKED out of the hospital around 5pm. (They did make take a wheel chair ride part of the way.) I got in the truck all by myself and I SAT on the seat for the first time in 5 weeks! I now feel better than I have in years. Dr. Badlani cautioned that the relief might not be instant due to the inflammation, but for me it was. I have had no pain, numbness, or even tingling in my back or leg since the day of surgery. Best of all I was back to work (light duty), and providing for my family within two weeks.

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September 17, 2017. It was a normal Sunday, booked with my regular Ironman training schedule, including a long ride on my tri-bike. Little did I know, it was the calm before the storm, for both my own well-being and the city of Houston, with Hurricane Harvey on its way.

Boom! Suddenly, I crashed! I was on mile 68, of my long bike ride, when I found myself in searing pain, as I had just crashed and broken my collarbone in three pieces. As an active triathlete, an Ironman 140.6
finisher, and an Ironman coach, regardless of the pain, my immediate concern was: how do I get better?

That same day, in my search to find the best orthopedic doctor in Houston, I found Dr. Palumbo, at The Orthopedic Sports Clinic. He was able to see me on Monday, the very next day. Dr. Palumbo examined and reviewed my injuries, and straightforwardly said, “Juan, for an athletic guy like you, you will need surgery.” He discussed all options with me, the reasons why surgery was best for my situation, and answered any and all my questions I had regarding my options and care. He instilled confidence in me and ensured the best course of action for my safe and speedy recovery.
I had surgery that Wednesday and by Friday, I ran my first mile again, Doctor approved! Yes, it was a slow mile, but Dr. Palumbo’s step-by-step guidance, instruction, and proper exercise techniques helped heal my collarbone and my shoulder. On October 29, 2017, with a good time and without any issues, I ran and completed a half marathon, in Houston. In addition, while continuing to follow Dr. Palumbo’s guidance, in December, I completed an Ironman 70.3, which included a 1.2-mile swim, without incidence or pain.

A big high-five for Dr. Palumbo and his team! He was dedicated to my needs, answered my questions and concerns, and provided valuable advice during my recovery process. My surgery was a success and with my individualized recovery plan, I am back on my fe...

I had a cervical disc replacement with Dr. Badlani and was extremely pleased with the results! The neck pain and arm numbness I had for years before surgery was gone right away. I was back to running, swimming and even surfing in just a few weeks with no pain!