Spine Specialist Near Me in Desloge, MO

Spine specialist near me in Desloge, MO. Spine injuries can make everyday activities like laying down painful, and interrupt how our bodies function. For athletes, back problems can keep you from being at the top of their game. For breadwinners, it can hinder your ability to provide for your Desloge, MO loved ones. For others, it can keep us from taking the dog for a walk or other physical activities. Physical therapists who specialize in the spine can help return to what you love doing most. Through safe and proven exercises and treatment plans, Axes Physical Therapy can help you achieve the mobility and pain relief your body needs to function, and that you need to live your best life. If you’re ready to at long last be free from a crippling back condition, request an appointment with an Axes Desloge, MO spine specialist, or reach out to the Axes location most convenient for you.

Missouri law requires a prescription for physical therapy. If you’re dealing with a recent injury or living with chronic pain, consult with your physician about if physical therapy with a spine specialist in Desloge, MO is right for you. In the meantime, come see us for one of Axes’ no-obligation injury screenings.

The Anatomy of the Spine

The spine is our central support structure, and allows our brain and body to coordinate with each other. It extends from the base of your brain to your tailbone. There are several different parts of your spine:

Vertebrae

The spine has 33 vertebrae, which are small bones that form the backbone. Every vertebra has a hole in the middle to safeguard the spinal cord and its nerves. 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 are the only ones that can move; the others are fused into place.

Facet Joints

Facet joints are the small joints that connect the bony tips of vertebrae on the back of the spine. They allow your back and neck to extend, bend, twist, and rotate. Between the joints and bones are cartilage and synovial fluid, allowing healthy bones and joints to safely glide and slide during movement.

Intervertebral Discs

Discs are the flat, round cushions between the vertebrae that act as shock absorbers. Every two vertebrae have one disc between them. Discs have a softer middle known as the nucleus pulposus, which allows for mobility and absorption, and a tough, circular exterior known as the annulus fibrosus that protect the disc and connect the vertebrae.

Spinal Cord

The spinal cord is made up of of nerves that travel through the vertebrae, extending from the brain to your lumbar region, where the nerves go into the lower part of your body. The spinal cord is protected by the vertebrae and other tissue. The nerves extend to other parts of the body through openings in the vertebrae called the neural foramen. The spinal cord allows our brain to tell our bodies to move, and our brains to receive sensory information from our body.

Soft Tissue

Surrounding and within the spine are also various types of soft tissue. Ligaments attach vertebrae and holds them in the correct structure. Tendons attach muscles to the vertebrae, and the muscles are what powers the spine’s movement.

A healthy spine needs all of these systems to to work together to achieve optimal movement health and a pain free life. Numerous different factors can interfere with the spine and keep you from the things you love doing. If you’re living with back pain or spine issues, a spine specialist in Desloge, MO like Axes’ physical therapists can get you back to doing what you love most.

What Conditions Can a Spine Specialist in Desloge, MO Help With?

The American College of Physicians developed guidelines that include numerous physical therapy treatments for lower back pain and neck pain. Whether you’re living with chronic pain or recently suffered a work injury, Axes’ Desloge, MO spine specialists can help you live your best life. Some of the common conditions we provide relief and improved function for in Desloge, MO are:

• Disc Injuries — Herniated discs and bulging discs can be the result of either acute trauma or general degradation as we get older. They can impinge on a nerve which can be painful and limit function. 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 lead to immense pain, weakness, and tingling from your buttocks all the way down to your foot.
• Spinal Stenosis — Stenosis occurs when the space inside your backbone is too small. Symptoms include pain, balance issues, and loss of sensation in your hands or feet.
• Spinal Arthritis — Arthritis is the inflammation of the facet joints. It onsets as the cartilage between the joints wears down over time or from over-exertion. Obesity, autoimmune disorders, and other conditions can also lead to arthritis. The term “arthritis” describes over a hundred conditions, most of which are possible in the spine.
• Axial Back Pain — Also known as nonspecific back pain, this refers to pain that doesn’t have a known, recognizable cause. Nonspecific 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 condition is currently ailing you, our Desloge, MO spine specialists will form a team with you and your physician to design a treatment plan, based on proven strategies, and aimed at getting you back to the things you love doing most and a pain-free life. While some conditions, like arthritis, won’t ever fully go away, physical therapy can be part of a holistic treatment plan that eases symptoms and achieves optimal mobility.

If you need surgery on your spine, we can work with you in your pre- and post-surgical rehab in Desloge, MO to help your surgery go as well as possible.

Benefits of Working With a Physical Therapy Spine Specialist in Desloge, MO

More and more people are turning to physical therapy as a non-invasive treatment plan for a variety of musculoskeletal conditions. According to a paper published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, physical therapy can get the same relief and results for some back pain as surgery, without the same risk of complications. Early intervention by a licensed Desloge, MO physical therapist has been demonstrated to reduce the risk of long-term opioid use.

A knowledgeable and experienced spine specialist will be able to determine what is causing your pain or other issues, and build 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, improve the function of your spine by improving strength and flexibility, increase flexibility.

Physical Therapy for Spine Problems

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

• Hands-On Care — Our Desloge, MO manual therapists are able to use light pressures and stretches to decrease back pain due to spinal issues. Manual therapy we may include in your treatment plan include:
  • Dry needling
  • Soft tissue mobilization
  • Joint mobilization and manipulation
  • Trigger point massage
• Guided Exercise — Safe exercises are crucial for getting your soft tissue, joints, and bones stronger and more flexible. Beyond limiting symptoms now, certain exercises will allow you to maintain a well-functioning spine while going to work or doing the activities you love most. Effective exercises for spine conditions include:
  • Core stabilization
  • Postural retraining
  • Flexibility
  • Cardio conditioning
  • Strength training
  • Home exercise
• Injury Prevention — There’s nothing worse than believing you’re moving on from an injury, only to suffer another injury in the future. We’ll educate you about your injury and how it affects your body’s function, so you’ll know how to protect your spine while being active. Our injury prevention program includes:
  • Patient education
  • Lifting education
  • Activity modification
  • Conditioning

Your treatment plan in Desloge, MO will be exhaustive and focused on getting you to your best possible function and keeping you there. However we recommend treating your spine condition or back pain, it will be based on proven techniques.

Other services we offer in Desloge, MO include:

• Neck Pain Treatment
• Physical Therapy Clinic
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment
• Sciatica Treatment
• Sports Medicine
• Hand Pain Physical Therapy
• Foot & Ankle Pain Treatment
• Hip Pain Treatment
• Plantar Fasciitis Treatment
• Stroke Rehabilitation

Call Axes For Your Spine Specialist Near Me in Desloge, MO

Don’t let a back injury keep you from what you love doing most. At Axes, our Desloge, MO spine specialists strive for positive patient outcomes. Your pain may not have been your choice, but you do not have to decide to live with it. For a professional and knowledgeable Desloge, MO spine specialist to help you, schedule an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today or contact the location closest to you