Seaport Spine — Local services in Boston

I was struggling with that lower back issues and femoral nerve pain literally daily for about 5-6 weeks, taking ibuprofen every few hours just to get by. I had an L5-S1 disk herniation which was pinching my femoral nerve causing a pain down the fronts of my legs. I found out about the McGill method online, and through McGill's website I discovered Seaport Spine and Dr. Hollien. I booked a "McGill Method" appointment, and shortly thereafter I received a call from the office manager, Ryan. He walked me through what the appointment would look like, which was helpful as I was a bit intimidated by the fact that it was a 2 hour session. He also informed me that they recommend all McGill method patients read at least the first 50 pages of Back Mechanic, which I made sure to do ahead of time. This was great choice as it really helped me form a baseline of knowledge, all of which was used during the 2 hour session with Dr. Hollien.

The session itself went great. Dr. Hollien walked me through a number of movements and stretches to identify the root cause of my pain, and then we worked on a few key exercises which I was meant to begin practicing that week. This honestly felt more like a PT session than what I expected at a Chiropractor. Dr. Hollien was incredibly knowledgeable, and took the time to answer all my questions while explaining everything in a simple but effective manner. He corrected my form, posture, and advised on little things like the way I sit down and stand up from a chair, as well as giving detailed instructions around what exercises and stretches would help my particular injury. What I loved about this was that I felt like Dr. Hollien was equipping me with the tools I needed to not only recover, but to strengthen my back and core such that I would not injure myself again. I was nervous about seeing a chiropractor because I didn't want someone telling me I needed recurring appointments, or lifetime "adjustments". Dr. Hollien did the exact opposite of that, and instead made sure I had the knowledge needed to get better, even telling me that while we could start a chiro care routine, he felt it was an added expense when what I really needed to strengthen my back and core. I truly appreciated his honesty, and felt that he had a desire to see me get better rather than charge me.

The following day I received a summary email with pages of notes and an exercise protocol to implement. Within the first week of practicing the exercises and stretching protocol, that pain I had been dealing with was already noticeably better. And I am thrilled to report that I have hardly any symptoms or pain at all these days (one month later). I feel an occasional ache in my lower back, but I've not had any more shooting pains down my thighs, or constant aches in my groin area. I've kept up with the exercises just about daily, but making sure I do them a minimum of 5 times a week, and at this point they're just sort of part of my routine.

This has honestly been life changing for me. Without a doubt, this was the best money I spent in 2024. I'm back in the gym (no longer doing deadlifts or bent over rows), I'm able to sit, stand and walk comfortably, and even driving my car for extended periods doesn't bother me at this point (this was always a trigger for me). I wouldn't say I'm quite back at 100%, but I feel confident that these movements (and ways to NOT move) will help me avoid future pain/injuries for years going forward.

I will be telling anyone and everyone about Seaport Spine and the McGill Method protocol. I really can't thank you...

For the past 2 years I have been suffering from lower back pain. The pain went from my lower back down my legs. I have tried everything even another chiropractor. I am super picky / particular when it comes to anything medical and dental related. I almost gave up until I came to Seaport Spine and Sport.

Dr. Hollien is literally this incredible person. Besides being knowledgeable he is warm and caring. I can tell he genuinely loves what he does. After my treatments, I have a normal life again and even went back into doing what I love the most Carribean and bachata dancing! I Highly recommend for anyone looking for help and full recovery!

Additional information: Seaport Spine & Sport is located in the beautiful seaport district. There's an option of driving in or taking public transportation. I opted to drive in and parked in a paid parking lot which is next to the building. There is also meter parking adjacent to the chiropractors location.

Customer service is superb! I always felt a warm welcome and it made me feel at home. Any and all my questions were always answered and I love the flexibility of booking my appointments morning, afternoons or evenings. They are open Saturdays as well!

Friendly advice:

✨Be patient, when I first came to see Dr. Hollien, I was limping and now I'm running. The road to recovery takes time and patience is key!

✨Communication is important. Dr. Hollien asked me all the right questions and always made sure to check in to see how I was doing. Make sure you let him know if you feel any changes and where they are.

✨Be relaxed. This will be better for you in the long run. The environment was so relaxing so this helped me to get better treatments. I understand that you might be under pain but try your best to be calm.

✨After care: make sure that you're changing your home and personal life. So that means be aware of how you are bending, twisting and don't carry heavy items that may impact your...

Ryan is a great clinician and extremely comprehensive in his approach. I have 2 herniated discs and looked into the McGill method when researching about back pain approaches online. Ryan was the closest provider near me and so I figured “why not” and booked a visit with him! He was extremely thorough in the McGill assessment - even going 30 minutes overtime my first appointment with him. I ended up unfortunately re-injuring myself about a year after I saw him due to a work related injury (I really shouldn’t have done this kind of labor intensive position looking back) but once again he has been very helpful and open about working with my PT to get me back on track. What I love about him is that he isn’t about shutting down your interests/hobbies - or even the advice of other clinicians/professionals but really adapting and working with them to give you a personalized recovery. He even gave me a lumbar support for my car/desk when I told him about my flare up and concern with starting a new office position. If you’re feeling lost in your back pain approach I highly recommend Seaport Spine as they will be very open with getting you back on track. (Also extremely affordable compared to other McGill method providers - which proves he is really in...