Barrett S. Boody, M.D., Spine Surgery

Orthopedic spine surgeon, Indiana Spine Group

Understand your spine before anyone operates on it.

Barrett S. Boody, M.D. trains the next generation of spine surgeons at Indiana Spine Group and Indiana University. His patients get the same explanation his fellows do: what is wrong, what the options are, and what surgery can and cannot fix.

Request appointment (317) 228-7000 Book online

Carmel, Fishers, Greenfield, and Muncie offices. Adults and adolescents.

Watch Dr. Boody explain why spine care starts earlyA short talk recorded by Indiana Spine Group Indiana Spine Group
Your lower back, explained The lumbar spine has 5 bones, called vertebrae (L1–L5), in your lower back. This close-up shows the lower portion.
Medical cutaway of the lower back, showing the lower lumbar vertebrae above the sacrum, discs between the bones, and a bundle of gold nerve roots descending through the spinal canal. Nerve bundle Disc Nerve root
Nerve bundle
The cauda equina: nerves below the end of the spinal cord.
Disc
A cushion between the bones of your lower back.
Nerve root
Nerves from the lower back help you feel and move your legs.

In their own words

Patient reviews.

Hear what patients say about Dr. Boody’s care, from feeling heard to understanding their options.

GoogleReviews
4.9out of 5

Based on 241 Google reviews

See all reviews on Google

He listens.

Dr Boody has been the first one to actually take the time to listen to me.
Danielle M Google review, 2 years ago
He will not do surgery if it's not needed and tells you upfront. He asks if you have questions and listens to what you say.
Renee B. Google review, 10 months ago

He explains.

He listens intently and lays out the options while explaining the pros and cons of each.
Jake J. Google review, a month ago
He was very straightforward about pain relief expectations following the surgery. I love providers that do not sugarcoat things.
Alyse E. Google review, a year ago

The outcome.

Immediately after surgery, my nerve pain was GONE. Zero pain! I am 4 weeks post surgery now and I feel great.
Alesha M. Google review, 3 months ago
I went in with leg pain to the point I couldn't walk. After surgery I was back on my feet.
Josh C. Google review, 2 years ago

Selected excerpts from public Google reviews, reproduced as written. Names shortened for privacy. Rating and review count captured September 2026.

How Dr. Boody practices

What to expect from your care.

Understand what’s causing your symptoms, what your options are, and why Dr. Boody recommends a treatment.

Indiana Spine Group

  1. Understand the problem.

    Dr. Boody listens to your symptoms, examines you, and reviews your scans with you. He explains how the findings fit together in plain language.

  2. Explore non-surgical care.

    Physical therapy, medication, or injections may come first. If your condition needs more urgent treatment, he explains why.

  3. Surgery when it’s needed.

    If surgery is recommended, you’ll discuss the procedure, alternatives, and recovery. The goal is the right operation for your specific problem.

Watch Dr. Boody explain his approachWhy spine care starts early
Meet Dr. Boody Explore his research

Start here

Which of these sounds like you?

Pick the closest match. You will get a one-paragraph explanation and the pages worth reading before your visit. It is reading, not a diagnosis.

Indiana Spine Group

Emergency symptoms. New bowel or bladder changes, numbness in the saddle area, or rapidly worsening weakness need the emergency department now, not a website.

Where his practice concentrates

Four areas, one standard.

Dr. Boody treats the whole spine, for adults and adolescents. These four areas are where his research, teaching, and referrals concentrate.

Anatomical illustration of the cervical spine, discs, spinal cord, and nerve roots.

01Neck

The cervical spine

Pinched nerves, spinal cord compression, and OPLL. Care starts with understanding exactly what is under pressure.

Explore neck conditions
His experience in this area

What it covers

Neck problems that press on a nerve or on the spinal cord itself: herniated discs, bone spurs, and ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL). The decision that matters is whether a nerve or the cord is involved, because the cord does not tend to recover on its own.

Why patients are referred to him

He co-chaired the Cervical Spine Research Society’s 2024 instructional course and co-authored the 20-year results of a randomized trial comparing cervical disc replacement with fusion.

  • ACDF
  • Disc replacement
  • Myelopathy
  • OPLL
  • Cord decompression
Cervical radiculopathyCervical myelopathyCervical disc replacement
Anatomical illustration of a vertebral burst fracture, with fragments near the spinal canal.

02Injury

Spine trauma and fractures

Fractures of the neck, mid-back, and low back. The first question is whether the spine is stable.

Explore spine trauma
His experience in this area

What it covers

Fractures of the neck, mid-back, and low back, and injuries to the spinal cord. The first question is always stable or unstable: many fractures heal in a brace, and some cannot be left alone.

Why patients are referred to him

He is the section editor for spinal trauma in The Textbook of Spine Surgery, 4th edition, and co-authored the reference paper on thoracolumbar burst fractures.

  • Burst fractures
  • Cervical fractures
  • Spinal cord injury
  • Percutaneous fixation
Spine trauma and fracturesReferring an injured patient
Illustrative cervical fusion construct with a cage and plate. Revision care evaluates previous surgery and neighboring levels.

03After prior surgery

Revision and adjacent segment disease

A fusion that has not healed, hardware problems, or a neighboring level that has worn out. The cause guides the next step.

Explore revision surgery
His experience in this area

What it covers

Surgery after a previous spine surgery: fusions that did not heal, a level wearing out next to an earlier fusion, and hardware problems. The timing of the pain’s return is the first clue to the cause.

Why patients are referred to him

He has published on 10-year adjacent-level outcomes after cervical surgery and on what happens to patients whose fusion has not healed at two years. His fellowship was at the Rothman Institute.

  • Adjacent segment disease
  • Non-union
  • Hardware revision
  • Deformity correction
Adjacent segment diseaseRevision spine surgery
Anatomical illustration of lumbar vertebrae, discs, and nerve roots above the pelvis.

04Low back

Minimally invasive lumbar surgery

Small-incision decompression, TLIF, and percutaneous screws. The approach is chosen around the problem it needs to solve.

Explore minimally invasive care
His experience in this area

What it covers

Low-back operations done through the smallest corridor that still solves the problem: far-lateral microdiscectomy, decompression of facet cysts, TLIF, and percutaneous pedicle screws. Smaller is not always better, and he will say so when it is not.

Why patients are referred to him

He authored the technique paper on far-lateral microdiscectomy, published on when a facet cyst needs fusion and when it does not, and led a prospective study of TLIF.

  • Far-lateral microdiscectomy
  • TLIF
  • Facet cysts
  • Spondylolisthesis
Minimally invasive spine surgeryAll treatments

Looking for something else? His practice covers the whole spine.

All conditions All treatments

Conditions

What Dr. Boody treats.

Start with an area, then choose a condition to learn about symptoms and treatment options.

View all conditions

Choose a condition

Indiana Spine Group

Explore symptoms and treatment options in the full conditions guide.

Research and teaching

A surgeon who trains surgeons.

"The way spine surgeons stay at the forefront of spinal techniques, technology, and knowledge is to stay actively involved in education and research."

Barrett S. Boody, M.D.

More than 80 peer-reviewed publications, books, and book chapters. Editorial roles at a leading spine journal and a major textbook. Principal investigator on a national FDA trial. And every week, fellows in the operating room learning how he does it.

Research and teaching

Member of

Core faculty, ISG spine surgery fellowshipTrains fellowship surgeons at Indiana Spine Group
Teaching
Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic SurgeryIndiana University School of Medicine
Teaching
Section Editor, Spinal TraumaThe Textbook of Spine Surgery, 4th edition
Editorial
Lead EditorThe Fellows Manual: Techniques of Spine Surgery
Editorial
Editorial board, Clinical Spine SurgeryPeer-reviewed journal; reviewer for several others
Editorial
Principal investigator, national FDA trialIndiana Spine Group
Research
Co-chair, CSRS 29th Instructional CourseCervical Spine Research Society, December 2024
Leadership

Published research

Selected journals from his 36 papers indexed on PubMed.

As of September 2026

Professional membership

Visit organization website

Recognition

Recognized by his peers.

6

consecutive years as a Castle Connolly Top Doctor in orthopaedic surgery, 2021 through 2026.

Nominated by fellow physicians and reviewed by Castle Connolly’s research team. Select an award to see its source.

Castle ConnollyTop Doctor, orthopaedic surgery
Indianapolis MonthlyTop Doctor
Becker's Spine Review10 Spine Surgeons to Know
Avant-Garde HealthResearch All-Star, top 5% of publishing spine surgeons

Your first visit

Your visit, step by step.

Time to talk, clear explanations, and a plan you understand.

  1. Discuss your symptoms

    Talk about where it hurts and what you’ve tried, followed by a physical exam.

  2. Review your imaging

    Look at your scans together. Dr. Boody explains what the findings mean for your symptoms.

  3. Consider your options

    Discuss non-surgical care and, if needed, surgery, including the alternatives and expected recovery.

  4. Leave with a plan

    Get your next steps and follow-up in writing. Contact the team through the portal with questions afterward.

Watch Dr. Boody explain his approachWhy spine care starts early

Offices

Four offices across the northeast and east side.

Indiana Spine Group
The Indiana Spine Hospital campus in CarmelCarmel

13225 North Meridian Street
Carmel, IN 46032

(317) 228-7000
The Fishers office buildingFishers

13914 Southeastern Pkwy, Door 3, Suite 201
Fishers, IN 46037

(317) 564-6800
The Greenfield office buildingGreenfield

300 E. Boyd Avenue, Suite 207
Greenfield, IN 46140

(317) 428-5027
The Muncie office buildingMuncie

3620 W. Bethel Avenue
Muncie, IN 47304

(765) 283-0150

Surgery at Indiana Spine Hospital and North Meridian Surgery Center in Carmel. Office hours Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM.

Referring a patient?

Get a clear answer about your spine.

Request an appointment at any of the four offices, book directly through Indiana Spine Group, or call and speak with the team.

Request appointment (317) 228-7000 Book online