Rich Rabin

Rich’s spine journey began early last year when he first noticed persistent right-sided glute pain that he initially dismissed as a minor annoyance. What began as mild discomfort quickly progressed to sharp nerve pain, tingling, and muscle spasms radiating down both legs. As the pain intensified, simple activities like sitting, standing and driving became extraordinarily difficult, often forcing him to spend hours lying flat with his legs elevated to find any relief.

At first, the pain was thought to be bursitis and he received a steroid injection, along with rest, activity modification, and physical therapy. Despite diligently following conservative treatments, his symptoms only worsened. Eventually, Rich pushed for advanced imaging and finally obtained an MRI, which revealed a right-sided L5-S1 disc herniation severely compressing a nerve. This diagnosis helped explain the severity of his symptoms and clarified what he was up against.

By early fall, it became clear that surgery was necessary. In October of last year, Rich underwent a right L5-S1 microdiscectomy with additional bone decompression to relieve pressure on the affected nerve. The procedure successfully addressed the main source of the nerve compression, and some symptoms improved quickly. However, the recovery process proved more gradual and less predictable than he initially expected.

While intense nerve pain subsided, residual glute pain, lingering nerve sensations, and spasms continued to fluctuate for months. Rich found that progress was rarely linear — some days felt hopeful and others frustratingly stagnant. He learned that true recovery required patience, self-awareness, and a willingness to accept setbacks without losing determination.

One of the challenges Rich faced was accurately communicating his symptoms from day to day. To help track pain patterns and share clearer information with his care team, he developed an iPhone app called Recoverly, a daily symptom and activity tracking tool that helps users identify trends over time. The app doesn’t offer medical advice, but it gave Rich greater clarity and confidence as he navigated the ups and downs of healing.

Outside of his spine journey, Rich works in technology delivery and product leadership and enjoys spending time with his girlfriend, friends, and two adult daughters. His experience reshaped how he thinks about health and the importance of incorporating strength-building, movement, and self-advocacy into his daily life.

Today, Rich continues his recovery — steadily improving, committed to physical therapy, and focused on maintaining his overall wellness. His story is one of perseverance, innovation, and the powerful impact of patience and self-advocacy on the path to spinal health.