Spine Specialist Near Me in Des Peres, MO

Spine specialist near me in Des Peres, MO. Spinal conditions can make everyday activities like laying down excruciating, and disrupt how our bodies function. For people who play sports, back injuries can keep you from being at the top of their game. For breadwinners, it can hinder your ability to put food on the table for your Des Peres, MO loved ones. For others, it can keep us from going on bike ride or other physical activities. Physical therapists with a spine specialty can help you get back to what you love doing most. Through safe and proven exercises and treatment plans, Axes Physical Therapy can help you achieve the lifestyle you desire. If you’re ready to finally move on from the issues holding you back, schedule an evaluation with an Axes Des Peres, MO spine specialist, or reach out to the Axes location most convenient for you.

Missouri Revised Statute §334.506 requires a prescription for physical therapy. If you’re dealing with a recent injury or find that back pain is disrupting your daily life, consult with your physician about if physical therapy with a spine specialist in Des Peres, MO is right for you. You can also visit one of our locations for one of our complimentary injury screenings.

The Human Spine

The spine supports both our physical bodies, and how our bodies communicate. It starts at the base of your brain and ends at your pelvis. The spine consists of:

Vertebrae

The spine has 33 vertebrae, which are small bones that form the backbone. The spinal cord and nerves run through holes in the middle of each vertebra. There are five vertebral groups. There are:

• 7 vertebrae in the cervical region (your neck)
• 12 vertebrae in the thoracic region (your middle back)
• 5 vertebrae in the lumbar region (your lower back)
• 5 vertebrae in the sacrum region (the triangle shaped bone that connects to the hips)
• 4 vertebrae in the coccyx region (your tailbone)

The 24 vertebrae in the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar regions provide mobility; the others are immobile.

Facet Joints

Facet joints connect the vertebrae. They allow your back and neck to extend, bend, twist, and rotate. They are lined with cartilage and lubricated with synovial fluid, allowing healthy bones and joints to safely glide and slide during movement.

Intervertebral Discs

Discs are the circular cushions between the vertebrae that absorb shock and prevent the vertebrae from grinding against each other. Every two vertebrae have one disc between them. Discs have a softer middle known as the nucleus pulposus, which gives them flexibility and allows them to absorb impact, and an outer ring of tough fibers called the annulus fibrosus that prevent the nucleus pulposus from leaking out.

Spinal Cord

The spinal cord consists of nerves that travel through the vertebrae, from your brain to your tailbone, where the nerves continue into your lower extremities. The spinal cord is protected by spinal fluid and a membrane called dura mater. The nerves extend to other parts of the body through holes in the vertebrae called the neural foramen. The spinal cord carries messages between our brain and other parts of our body.

Soft Tissue

Surrounding and within the spine are also various types of soft tissue. Ligaments attach bones together and holds them in the correct structure. Muscles are attached to bones by tendons, and power their movement.

A healthy spine needs all of these systems to function properly and in unison to achieve optimal movement health and a pain free life. A variety of factors can make the spine damaged or unhealthy, which can keep you from the things you love doing. If you’re dealing with back pain or spine issues, a spine specialist in Des Peres, MO like Axes’ physical therapists can provide safe and effective relief.

What Conditions Can a Spine Specialist in Des Peres, MO Treat Me For?

The American College of Physicians developed guidelines that include certain physical therapy treatments for people living with lower back pain and neck pain. Whether you’re living with chronic pain or recently suffered a sports injury, Axes’ Des Peres, MO spine specialists can help get you feeling great again. Some of the common conditions we provide relief and improved function for in Des Peres, MO are:

• Disc Injuries — Herniated discs and bulging discs can be the result of either an injury or general degradation from aging. They can impinge on a nerve which can be painful and limit mobility. Degenerative disc disease occurs as a natural result of aging, and greatly decreases flexibility.
• Sciatica — Sciatica refers to a variety of conditions which irritate the sciatic nerve, which is the largest nerve in the body and begins in the lower spine. It can cause to immense pain, weakness, and tingling down one side of your body.
• Spinal Stenosis — Stenosis occurs when the spinal cavity becomes too narrow and puts pressure on the spinal cord and nerves. It can cause pain, balance issues, and loss of sensation in your hands or feet.
• Spinal Arthritis — Arthritis describes several different types of joint disease. It occurs as the cushioning between the joints wears down over time or from overuse. It can also be caused by autoimmune disorders. There are over 100 types of arthritis, most of which are possible in the spine.
• Axial Back Pain — Also referred to as nonspecific back pain, this refers to pain isn’t brought on by a clear, diagnosable cause. Axial back pain can be caused by obesity or poor posture.

Physical therapy can also help with muscle strains, whiplash, and other more acute injuries.

Whatever is causing your back pain or injury, our Des Peres, MO spine specialists will form a team with you and your physician to design an evidence-backed treatment plan to get you back to the activities you love and a pain-free life. While some conditions, like arthritis, can’t be “cured,” physical therapy is an effective part of a comprehensive wellness routine that reduces pain and other symptoms and achieves optimal mobility.

If your spine condition requires surgery, we can work with you in your pre- and post-surgical rehab in Des Peres, MO to help your surgery go as well as possible.

What a Physical Therapy Spine Specialist Can Do For Me in Des Peres, MO

More and more people are turning to physical therapy as a non-invasive treatment plan for a variety of issues affecting our musculoskeletal system. According to a paper published By the American College of Physicians, physical therapy is just as effective as surgery for certain types of back pain, without the same recovery time or risk of adverse side-effects. Early intervention by a licensed Des Peres, MO physical therapist is proven to limit the risk of long-term opioid use.

A licensed spine specialist will be able to determine what is causing your pain or other issues, and design a treatment plan based on your current and previous medical conditions, your age, and the lifestyle you wish to achieve or get back to. Through a variety of exercises and manual therapy, physical therapy can reduce pain, help your spine and nervous system function better, boost range of motion.

Physical Therapy for Spine Issues

Depending on your specific condition, your Des Peres, MO spine specialist at Axes may include some of the following in your treatment plan:

• Hands-On Care — Our Des Peres, MO manual therapists are able to use subtle pressures and stretches to decrease back pain caused by muscle or joint dysfunction. Manual therapy we may use to help you include:
  • Dry needling
  • Soft tissue mobilization
  • Joint mobilization and manipulation
  • Trigger point massage
• Guided Exercise — Safe exercises are essential for helping you build up strength, flexibility, and balance. Beyond decreasing symptoms now, certain exercises will also help overall function and improve movement health. Effective exercises for spine conditions include:
  • Core stabilization
  • Postural retraining
  • Flexibility
  • Cardio conditioning
  • Strength training
  • Home exercise
• Injury Prevention — It’s incredibly frustrating to believe you’ve gotten past an injury, only to aggravate it. We help you understand your injury and how it affects your body’s function, so you can learn how to be active safely. Our injury prevention program includes:
  • Patient education
  • Lifting education
  • Activity modification
  • Conditioning

Your treatment plan in Des Peres, MO will be based not on just recovery or pain relief, but on getting you to optimal function and keeping you there. However we recommend treating your spine condition or back pain, it will be based on peer-reviewed studies that those techniques have been proven to work.

Other conditions we help treat in Des Peres, MO include:

• Beginner Running Program
• Chronic Pain Treatment
• MCL Injury
• Shoulder Pain
• Injury Prevention
• Mobility
• Knee Injury
• Joint Pain
• Sciatica

Count on Axes For Your Spine Specialist Near Me in Des Peres, MO

Don’t let a spine condition prevent you from what you love doing most. At Axes, our Des Peres, MO spine specialists are dedicated to positive patient outcomes. You didn’t decide to live with back pain, but you can choose to do something about it. For a licensed and knowledgeable Des Peres, MO spine specialist to help you, request an evaluation with Axes Physical Therapy today or reach out to the location most convenient for you