Joe DeCamillis won't join the Cowboys coaching staff at the NFL scouting combine as he seeks to alleviate the persistent pain in his neck and back.

DeCamillis has flown to Atlanta for a consultation with the Shepherd Center, one of the top rehabilitation hospitals in the country for patients with spinal injuries.

The Cowboys special teams coach anticipates his program will begin next week when the staff is scheduled to leave for Indianapolis.

"It might be my impatience, but I want to do all I can to get some of this pain to go away," said DeCamillis, who suffered four fractured vertebrae in his lower cervical and upper thoracic spine in the collapse of the Cowboys' indoor practice facility last year. "With another set of eyes, maybe they can do something.

"Hopefully, they can give me some hope that will happen."

It's been nearly 10 months since the accident, and DeCamillis still spends the majority of each night sleeping in a chair. He estimates he has less than 50 percent mobility with his neck, and his right hand is still numb.

The Cowboys understand that standing around for hours at the combine only exacerbates the situation.

"For our job, you've got to be pretty active," said DeCamillis, who is scheduled to meet with doctors today. "I didn't watch one practice other than my period last season. I want to be there the whole practice, to work at my craft better than I have since the injury.

"They will do some tests and come up with a plan. I want to get better if at all possible."