Zeeshan Sardar MD. Spine Surgeon and Scoliosis Surgeon

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Zeeshan Sardar MD. Spine Surgeon and Scoliosis Surgeon Specializing in the latest and least invasive technologies for treatment of Spine diseases.

08/14/2026

"Sleeping After Spinal Fusion"

It's the question I hear from almost every patient in the first weeks after spinal fusion — and they're right to ask it. Sleep disruption is one of the most predictable parts of surgical recovery.

Many patients do better in a recliner than a bed for the first few weeks. A power lift recliner makes it easy to get in and out of without bending or twisting. When laying in bed --> medium-firm mattress, pillow under the knees on your back, pillow between the knees on your side, and never sit straight up from flat.

Sleep significantly improves by 8–12 weeks for most patients. Full normalization takes 3–6 months.

Swipe through for everything you need to know — and set up your space before surgery. 👇

📍 Sardar Spine | Columbia University / Och Spine Hospital at NewYork-Presbyterian

🌐 sardarspine.com

How was sleep for you in the first weeks after spinal fusion? What helped most? Share below — your experience may help someone preparing for surgery. 👇

General education only — not individualized medical advice.

08/04/2026

"My child with scoliosis has back pain. Is that normal?"

Yes — and it's more common than most families are told. More than 25% of adolescents with AIS who require surgery for scoliosis also report a history of recent back pain. Some studies report as high as 68%. That is higher than the rate of back pain in the general adolescent population without scoliosis.

Pain is especially common after long days at school, during growth spurts, and with lumbar curves.

The muscles on one side of a curved spine work significantly harder than the other. By the end of a school day, they're exhausted — and that exhaustion is felt as pain and stiffness.

The "scoliosis is usually painless" message, while technically true for small curves, leads to real harm when it's used to dismiss a child whose pain is significant and affecting their daily life.

— Pain does not correlate with curve size. A child with a 25° curve can have significant pain. A child with a 55° curve may have none. However, scoliosis (≥40°) is more clearly associated with physical pain
— Pain location tracks with curve location. Lumbar curves cause lumbar pain. Thoracic curves cause more pain in the upper and middle back, particularly around the scapula, corresponding to the rib hump deformity.
— Pain in a younger child — under 10 — should raise a red flag for non-idiopathic causes. Infection, tumor, tethered cord. This is not routine AIS pain. It warrants a full workup.
— Psychological factors: Pain catastrophizing, depression, poor self-image, and poor mental health are independent risk factors for back pain.

Swipe through for what's actually causing the pain — and when it needs more evaluation. 👇

📍 Sardar Spine | Columbia University / Och Spine Hospital at NewYork-Presbyterian

🌐 sardarspine.com

General education only — not individualized medical advice.

"My child with scoliosis has back pain. Is that normal?"Yes — and it's more common than most families are told. More tha...
08/04/2026

"My child with scoliosis has back pain. Is that normal?"

Yes — and it's more common than most families are told. More than 25% of adolescents with AIS who require surgery for scoliosis also report a history of recent back pain. Some studies report as high as 68%. That is higher than the rate of back pain in the general adolescent population without scoliosis.

Pain is especially common after long days at school, during growth spurts, and with lumbar curves.

The muscles on one side of a curved spine work significantly harder than the other. By the end of a school day, they're exhausted — and that exhaustion is felt as pain and stiffness.

The "scoliosis is usually painless" message, while technically true for small curves, leads to real harm when it's used to dismiss a child whose pain is significant and affecting their daily life.

— Pain does not correlate with curve size. A child with a 25° curve can have significant pain. A child with a 55° curve may have none. However, scoliosis (≥40°) is more clearly associated with physical pain
— Pain location tracks with curve location. Lumbar curves cause lumbar pain. Thoracic curves cause more pain in the upper and middle back, particularly around the scapula, corresponding to the rib hump deformity.
— Pain in a younger child — under 10 — should raise a red flag for non-idiopathic causes. Infection, tumor, tethered cord. This is not routine AIS pain. It warrants a full workup.
— Psychological factors: Pain catastrophizing, depression, poor self-image, and poor mental health are independent risk factors for back pain.

Swipe through for what's actually causing the pain — and when it needs more evaluation. 👇

📍 Sardar Spine | Columbia University / Och Spine Hospital at NewYork-Presbyterian

🌐 sardarspine.com

General education only — not individualized medical advice.

08/03/2026

Back to school with a brace doesn't have to mean back to misery.

The most practical tip: wear a seamless undershirt underneath. No bare skin. Check for pressure spots. Break in slowly over the first couple of weeks. And talk to your orthotist regularly — a brace that no longer fits isn't helping.

The evidence is clear: the teens who wear their brace consistently get the best results.

Swipe through for the full guide — comfort, fit, fashion, and scheduling. 👇

📍 Sardar Spine | Columbia University / Och Spine Hospital at NewYork-Presbyterian
🌐 sardarspine.com

Are you or your child bracing for scoliosis? What has helped most? Drop your tips below — your experience may help another family. 👇

General education only — not individualized medical advice. Always follow your orthotist's and surgeon's specific instructions.

Back to school with a brace doesn't have to mean back to misery.The most practical tip: wear a seamless undershirt unde...
08/03/2026

Back to school with a brace doesn't have to mean back to misery.

The most practical tip: wear a seamless undershirt underneath. No bare skin. Check for pressure spots. Break in slowly over the first couple of weeks. And talk to your orthotist regularly — a brace that no longer fits isn't helping.

The evidence is clear: the teens who wear their brace consistently get the best results.

Swipe through for the full guide — comfort, fit, fashion, and scheduling. 👇

📍 Sardar Spine | Columbia University / Och Spine Hospital at NewYork-Presbyterian
🌐 sardarspine.com

Are you or your child bracing for scoliosis? What has helped most? Drop your tips below — your experience may help another family. 👇

General education only — not individualized medical advice. Always follow your orthotist's and surgeon's specific instructions.

08/01/2026

"My curve is only 35°. Why am I in so much pain?"

One of the most common questions I hear from adults with scoliosis — and one of the most important.

Curve size on an X-ray doesn't tell the whole story. Two people with identical curves can have completely different lives. One is active and relatively pain-free. The other can't make it through a grocery run without leaning on the cart.

What actually drives symptoms in adult scoliosis is more nuanced: sagittal imbalance, neural compression, disc and joint degeneration, and how hard the body is working to compensate. When the spine tips forward — even modestly — the muscles fight constantly to keep the body upright. That fight is exhausting. That exhaustion is the pain.

A complete evaluation looks at the full picture — not just the number on the X-ray.

Swipe through for what actually drives pain in adult scoliosis. 👇

📍 Sardar Spine | Columbia University / Och Spine Hospital at NewYork-Presbyterian
🌐 sardarspine.com

Have you been told your curve "isn't bad enough" — but you're struggling? Share your experience below. 👇

General education only — not individualized medical advice.

"My curve is only 35°. Why am I in so much pain?"One of the most common questions I hear from adults with scoliosis — an...
08/01/2026

"My curve is only 35°. Why am I in so much pain?"

One of the most common questions I hear from adults with scoliosis — and one of the most important.

Curve size on an X-ray doesn't tell the whole story. Two people with identical curves can have completely different lives. One is active and relatively pain-free. The other can't make it through a grocery run without leaning on the cart.

What actually drives symptoms in adult scoliosis is more nuanced: sagittal imbalance, neural compression, disc and joint degeneration, and how hard the body is working to compensate. When the spine tips forward — even modestly — the muscles fight constantly to keep the body upright. That fight is exhausting. That exhaustion is the pain.

A complete evaluation looks at the full picture — not just the number on the X-ray.

Swipe through for what actually drives pain in adult scoliosis. 👇

📍 Sardar Spine | Columbia University / Och Spine Hospital at NewYork-Presbyterian
🌐 sardarspine.com

Have you been told your curve "isn't bad enough" — but you're struggling? Share your experience below. 👇

General education only — not individualized medical advice.

07/30/2026

"I thought scoliosis was a childhood condition."

Most adults do. But adult scoliosis affects millions of people — and it develops in two very different ways.

Some adults develop a completely new curve as their discs and joints wear down unevenly over time. Others had a mild adolescent curve that was never treated — and that curve has been slowly progressing ever since.

Both are real. Both are treatable. And both can cause significant pain, fatigue, and difficulty standing upright — symptoms that often get blamed on "normal aging" for years before the real cause is identified.

Swipe through for what adult scoliosis actually is and why it develops. 👇

📍 Sardar Spine | Columbia University / Och Spine Hospital at NewYork-Presbyterian
🌐 sardarspine.com

Were you told as a teenager that your scoliosis was "not bad enough" to treat? Share your experience below. 👇

General education only — not individualized medical advice.

"I thought scoliosis was a childhood condition."Most adults do. But adult scoliosis affects millions of people — and it ...
07/30/2026

"I thought scoliosis was a childhood condition."

Most adults do. But adult scoliosis affects millions of people — and it develops in two very different ways.

Some adults develop a completely new curve as their discs and joints wear down unevenly over time. Others had a mild adolescent curve that was never treated — and that curve has been slowly progressing ever since.

Both are real. Both are treatable. And both can cause significant pain, fatigue, and difficulty standing upright — symptoms that often get blamed on "normal aging" for years before the real cause is identified.

Swipe through for what adult scoliosis actually is and why it develops. 👇

📍 Sardar Spine | Columbia University / Och Spine Hospital at NewYork-Presbyterian
🌐 sardarspine.com

Were you told as a teenager that your scoliosis was "not bad enough" to treat? Share your experience below. 👇

General education only — not individualized medical advice.

07/29/2026

Most people think of Scheuermann's kyphosis as a back problem. But in significant curves, it can affect the lungs, the heart, and how much physical activity a patient can tolerate.

Lung function is generally preserved at moderate curve sizes — but at curves above 90°, the chest wall compresses the lungs enough to cause real restriction. The heart has to work harder. Exercise capacity drops. Quality of life scores are consistently lower in patients with symptomatic Scheuermann's compared to healthy peers.

After surgical correction, both lung and heart function can improve — though the most consistent gains are in pain relief, posture, and daily function.

Swipe through for how kyphosis affects the whole body — not just the spine. 👇

📍 Sardar Spine | Columbia University / Och Spine Hospital at NewYork-Presbyterian
🌐 sardarspine.com

Did you know Scheuermann's kyphosis can affect lung and heart function in severe cases? Drop your questions below. 👇

General education only — not individualized medical advice.

Address

51 W 51st Street
New York, NY
10018

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

+12129325187

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