Spinal Instability
Focused spine expertise
Your consultant will take time to understand what happened and how your spinal disease / condition is affecting you day-to-day. This will include examining you, reviewing any scans or tests you did and ask you specific questions about your function, pain and symptoms.
Clear guidance
We’ll explain what your spinal disease / condition means for you and talk you through the next steps, so you know what to expect.
Support through recovery
Your care team will support you throughout your recovery, helping you manage symptoms, regain movement and function, and return to your usual activities safely and confidently at a pace that is right for you.
What is spinal instability?
Spinal instability occurs when the spine can no longer maintain its normal alignment during everyday activities. This abnormal movement may cause back or neck pain, nerve compression, and difficulty with mobility and function.
What causes spinal instability?
You may have sudden, severe pain in your neck or back and find it difficult to move comfortably. The muscles around the injured area may also feel tight or go into spasm.
If your spinal cord or nerves are affected, you may notice tingling, numbness or weakness in your arms or legs. This can also make walking or moving your arms and hands more difficult.
. Get emergency help if you develop new weakness or loss of feeling, particularly if you also notice changes in your bladder or bowel control.
How is spinal instability?
Your consultant will ask about your symptoms and medical history and carefully examine your neck or back. They will also assess your strength, sensation and reflexes to check whether any nerves or the spinal cord are affected.
Imaging scans are usually needed to confirm the diagnosis and understand the cause of the instability. X-rays, CT scans and MRI scans can help identify abnormal movement between the vertebrae, spinal alignment problems, fractures, ligament injuries, or pressure on the nerves and spinal cord.
A CT (computed tomography) scan provides detailed images of the bones and can help identify fractures, displacement, dislocations or subluxations. An MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan allows your consultant to assess the spinal cord, nerves, discs and supporting ligaments in greater detail and determine whether these structures have been injured.
For some patients, specialised standing or flexion-extension X-rays may also be used to assess how the spine moves and whether instability is present during movement.
How is spinal instability treated?
Treatment aims to carefully move the bones back into their normal position and make sure your spine remains stable. Your consultant will look at how far the bones have moved and whether your spinal cord or nerves have been affected before recommending the best approach for you.
The medical term for moving the bones back into place is reduction. This may be done using controlled traction, which applies a gentle pulling force, or as part of an operation. Your specialist will explain what they recommend and why, and answer any questions you have.
Treatment routes for Spinal instability
Your treatment will depend on where the injury is and how far the bones have moved. Some partial dislocations can heal without an operation, while a full dislocation or an unstable injury is more likely to need surgery.
Some patients can be managed without surgery using a combination of activity modification, physiotherapy and pain management.
Working with Spine professionals and teams
Our spine specialists support professional athletes, sports teams, active individuals and people whose work places high demands on their spines. Working closely with radiologists, physiotherapists and the wider multidisciplinary team, they provide coordinated care from diagnosis through to rehabilitation, helping each person return safely to sport, work or everyday activities.
The same specialist expertise and collaborative approach are available to every patient, whatever your activity level or recovery goals.
Our Experts - Leaders in Spine treatment
How to pay
We offer flexible options depending on how you choose to access care at Fortius. Whichever option you choose, we’ll help make the process clear and straightforward from the start.
Private medical insurance
If your care is covered by private medical insurance, we’ll usually invoice your insurer directly. Please check your policy in advance and request an authorisation code if your insurer requires one. You’ll be responsible for paying any policy excess or costs that aren’t covered by your insurance.
Paying for yourself
You don’t need private medical insurance to access care at Fortius. If you’re paying for your own treatment, our team will explain the costs clearly and provide a personalised quote before you decide whether to go ahead.
Find a clinic near you
Fortius Clinic City
Our City Clinic is conveniently located between Bank and Monument stations, within the historic and financial heart of London. At our modern, two-floor facility we have nine consulting rooms, spacious waiting areas, well equipped treatment rooms and an imaging centre.
Explore our City Clinic with our virtual tour.
If you are travelling by Tube, our closest underground stations are Bank and Monument, exit 6 for King William Street.
Should you be travelling by car, the closest parking is a three minute drive away at NCP Car Park London Vintry Thames Exchange. If you are attending clinic on a weekday, please be aware that we are based in the congestion charge zone.
- 75 King William StreetEC4N 7BE
- 0203 195 2442
- Monday to Friday from 8.00am to 8.00pm.
- Snow Injuries Clinic
- Tendon
- Sports & Exercise Medicine
- Ultrasound
- X-Ray
- Physician services
- Rheumatology
- MRI Scan
Fortius Clinic Marylebone
Our Marylebone Clinic is conveniently located in the historic area between Baker Street and Marylebone High Street, just off Manchester Square, home to the iconic Wallace Collection. We have seven consulting rooms, private waiting areas on each floor, well equipped treatment rooms and diagnostic imaging.
- 17 Fitzhardinge StreetW1U 2EU
- 020 3195 2442
- MRI Scan
- Ultrasound
- X-Ray
- Physician services
- Rheumatology
Fortius Clinic Marylebone Wing
Our 79,000 sq ft, seven-story, private hospital on Wigmore Street has 39 en-suite inpatient rooms, consultation and treatment rooms, and a physiotherapy suite.
The hospital has a high-spec imaging suite fully equipped with an MRI, CT scanner and X-ray machine. There are three state-of-the-art operating theatres, two anaesthetic rooms and a recovery bay.
Fortius Clinic London has two Mako robots for hip and knee joint replacements.
- 66 Wigmore StreetW1U 2SB
- +442031952442
- Open 24 hours
- Sports & Exercise Medicine
- Snow Injuries Clinic
- Tendon
- Ultrasound
- X-Ray
- Physician services
- Rheumatology
- CT guided injection
- MRI Scan
- CT Scan
Fortius Clinic Wimbledon
Our Wimbledon clinic houses a state-of-the-art imaging centre with a 3T MRI and X-ray scanners, Ultrasound, seven consulting rooms, two spacious waiting areas and well equipped treatment rooms all located on one level, ensuring easy accessibility for all patients.
Our partnership with Spire St Anthony’s Hospital allows us to provide orthopaedic surgery closer to our clinic. We treat a full range of conditions and perform joint replacement surgery using the latest Mako robotic assisted technology.
Take a tour of our clinic virtually through Google 360 views here.
We are open Monday to Friday from 8.00am to 8.00pm, and Saturday mornings from 8.30am to 12.30pm.
If you are travelling by Tube, our closest underground station is Wimbledon (District Line), which also has rail and tramlink services from central London and beyond.
There is no parking available at the clinic, but we have a number of parking facilities all within a 10-12 minute walk of the clinic: Centre Court Car Park, Broadway Car Park, and Hartfield Road Car Park. Please note that all of these facilities are paid car parks.
The building at 22 Worple Road has steps leading up to the front entrance. If you require assistance please inform us before your arrival by calling ahead on 020 3195 2442
- 22 Worple RoadSW19 4DD
- 0203 195 2442
- Snow Injuries Clinic
- Ultrasound
- X-Ray
- MRI Scan
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