A Second Chance at Life: How One Rhode Island Surgeon Is Giving Patients Their Lives Back

I'll be honest with you — I'm not just the journalist in this story. I'm the patient.
A few years ago, I was in rough shape. Years of untreated spinal problems had left me significantly disabled, struggling to walk my dogs to the park, battling numbness in my arms and balance issues that made daily life feel impossibly hard. I kept putting off surgery, held back by fear and the memory of my grandfather's experience decades ago, when spinal procedures were far less refined and outcomes far less predictable.
Eventually, I ran out of reasons to wait. And that's when Dr. Alan Daniels changed my life.
Who Is Dr. Alan Daniels?
Dr. Daniels is a board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon at University Orthopedics, based in East Providence, Rhode Island. He serves as Chief of Spine Surgery at The Miriam Hospital and Rhode Island Hospital and holds a full professorship at The Alpert Medical School of Brown University. Originally from Colorado, he earned his undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley, attended medical school at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, and ultimately found his way to Brown University for his residency. He never left.
"My wife and I packed our bags and moved out here just about 20 years ago," he told me during our recent conversation. "We just fell in love with the area."
Rhode Island has a way of doing that to people.
His path to spine surgery began even before medical school, when he worked as a technician operating cell saver machines — blood recycling devices used in operating rooms — in hospitals throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. It was there, watching spine procedures for the first time, that something clicked.
"I just went in the spine room and said, 'That's the coolest thing I ever saw in my whole life. That's what I want to do,'" he recalled. "It was just a gut instinct. I felt like it was my calling."
A Specialty That Has Come a Long Way
Spine surgery carries a reputation. Many people have heard some version of the warning: don't let anyone touch your spine. Dr. Daniels understands where that fear comes from — and he doesn't dismiss it entirely.
"Part of that's historic," he explained. "Spine surgery wasn't always very successful. And even today, some spine problems are genuinely challenging, and some surgeons are better than others. So, it gets a bad reputation."
But the field has transformed dramatically over recent decades. New tools, new techniques, and a far deeper understanding of spinal biomechanics have changed what's possible. Dr. Daniels performs over 500 spine surgeries per year, treating everything from scoliosis and kyphosis to degenerative spinal disease, spinal trauma, and failed prior surgeries. He handles the full spectrum — from straightforward decompressions that relieve pressure on the spine, to complex reconstructive procedures involving screws, rods, and full spinal stabilization.
For patients like me, who waited too long and arrived with compounded problems, his steady, measured approach mattered enormously.
What I Learned as His Patient
I came to Dr. Daniels carrying more than just a damaged spine. I came with fear. I had watched a family member go through spine surgery in a far earlier era — an experience that left a lasting impression. And I wasn't exactly an ideal surgical candidate at first. Dr. Daniels was direct with me: I needed to lose weight before he would operate. I did. I also don't smoke, don't drink, and committed fully to the recovery process once I finally agreed to move forward.
That preparation mattered. My lower back surgery involved rods and pins, and for a time afterward, I couldn't feel my legs. But I got that sensation back. My neck surgery left a rod that, frankly, extends close to the top of my skull — and yet today, I can turn my head without excruciating pain. I do Tai Chi every morning. I walk my dogs to the park without fear. These are not small things. These are my life.
It took a couple of years to get here, and persistence was non-negotiable. But every time I called Dr. Daniels' office — whether I needed physical therapy, a follow-up appointment, or a steroid injection to manage residual stiffness — the response was immediate and attentive.
"The secret to my success is really the people around me," Dr. Daniels said, with characteristic humility. "I have the best front desk staff, experienced PAs who know as much about spine surgery pre- and post-op care as I do — or even more in some cases."
That support system is real. Physician assistants like Danielle Barry, who administers the occasional steroid injection to keep my neck moving freely, are an integral part of why patients don't just survive their surgeries — they thrive afterward.
The Case for Not Waiting
Dr. Daniels made a point during our conversation that I want every Rhode Islander sitting on the fence about their spine to hear. The risks of spine surgery are real — but so are the risks of doing nothing.
"The side effects of 20 years of pain, or inability to exercise, or not being able to do the things you want to do, can be catastrophic," he said. "If there's no other solution and the patient has already tried injections, therapy, and medications and they're still in agony — saying 'don't ever have spine surgery' is not a very compassionate viewpoint."
I lived that. I waited two decades. The surgery didn't give me back the life I had before my spine deteriorated — but it gave me a life. And right now, that feels like everything.
I have some residual effects, including occipital neuralgia that Dr. Daniels believes is largely a consequence of years of neglect rather than anything surgical. But compared to where I was? I'll take it without hesitation.
What You Should Know
If you're living with chronic back or neck pain, balance issues, numbness in your limbs, or limited mobility that's quietly shrinking your world, my message is simple: go get assessed. Not because surgery is definitely the answer — it may not be — but because you deserve to know where you stand.
University Orthopedics, located in East Providence, offers comprehensive orthopedic care across every specialty, including urgent care. From a spine standpoint, Dr. Daniels and his team will evaluate your X-rays, your MRI, and your history, and give you an honest picture of your options.
"If you're not a surgical candidate, we'll come up with a great plan to treat your pain," Dr. Daniels told me. "And if you are, I genuinely believe we have the best outcomes and the best care in the region."
His team is young, committed, and built for the long haul. They're not here to rush you into an operating room. They're here to take care of you — now, and for years to come.
Don't sit on your couch thinking your life is over. At least go get it checked out.
To learn more about Dr. Alan Daniels or to make an appointment at University Orthopedics, visit universityorthopedics.com or call 401-330-1420.
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