TOPS spine surgery transforms drummer’s life after years of sciatic nerve pain

06/08/2026

Debilitating sciatic nerve pain stood in the way of Kevin’s active lifestyle — until an innovative surgical option allowed him to reclaim his passions

Kevin Hupp built his life around rhythm and motion. As a professional rock drummer for 40 years, golfer and motorcycle rider, he was always on the move. Then sciatic nerve pain began to take over, making work travel miserable, walking the golf course impossible and leaving him wondering if he would ever feel steady on his feet again.

When standing became impossible because of sciatica

Hupp, 67, from Brewster, N.Y., first noticed symptoms about five years ago. At first, it was manageable. Over time, the nerve pain intensified and numbness followed. If he stood or walked for more than 10 minutes, both legs and feet would go numb. He would have to sit down because he felt unbalanced.

“Moving my legs was like walking in quicksand,” he says. “Forward motion was an effort.”

The pain followed him everywhere: Into the car on long drives, across job sites and onto the golf course. Hupp now works as a project manager for an audio and video integration company, and being in the field meant constant driving and walking. Even a cough or sneeze could trigger sharp, excruciating sciatic pain.

Hupp used to walk the golf course — something he loved — but eventually he needed a cart and tried to park as close to the ball as possible. Married for 29 years with three kids, Hupp wanted to stay active for his family and for himself. He also has a recording studio at home and still produces music, and he did not want pain to define what the next chapter would look like.

Trying everything before spine surgery to treat sciatica

Hupp tried to push through. Massage and stretching brought only minutes of relief. He also had epidural injections. Nothing lasted, and his posture changed as his body tried to compensate and manage the pain. He realized he was no longer standing up straight.

He was cautious about spine surgery. Too many people he knew had lingering pain or needed additional procedures. He had seen orthopedic surgeons before for neck issues, and while he did not need neck surgery, the experience made him careful about next steps.

A recommendation pointed him toward a neurosurgeon who specializes in spine care. Hupp asked around, checked his network and read about Joshua Marcus, MD, chief of neurosurgery at Northwell Health’s Norwalk Hospital.

A clear diagnosis and motion-preserving spine surgery

During the appointment, Dr. Marcus closely looked at how Hupp carried himself. Hupp had severe lumbar spinal stenosis at L4/L5 in the lumbar spine. Stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal that can compress nerves and cause pain, numbness and weakness in the legs.

Dr. Marcus talked through options, including an advanced approach called the Total Posterior Spine System (TOPS). For certain people with stenosis at one level in the lower back, TOPS can be an alternative to spinal fusion. During the operation, the surgeon relieves pressure on the nerves and then stabilizes the segment with an implant designed to preserve motion, so patients can still bend, twist and straighten.

“My first question was, ‘Can I keep playing golf?’ ” Hupp says.

Dr. Marcus was confident Hupp would be back on the golf course. Unlike spinal fusion, which locks the vertebrae together, a motion-preserving implant can help maintain mobility and reduce additional stress on adjacent spinal levels.

Still, Hupp was not ready to schedule surgery after the first meeting. He took time to weigh his choices. He looked long and hard at the options and did his homework.

When the pain kept escalating, his thinking shifted to one simple goal: “As long as I can play golf, let’s go,” Hupp says.