Spine Specialist Near Me in Ferguson, MO

Spine specialist near me in Ferguson, MO. Lower back issues can make normal tasks like laying down difficult, and keep us from optimal movement health. For physically active people, back injuries can prevent you from being at peak performance. For workers, it can prevent you from providing for your Ferguson, MO loved ones. For others, it can prevent us from going on bike ride or playing with our children like we love doing. Physical therapists who specialize in the spine can help return to the functional and pain-free life you’re seeking. By developing a custom treatment plan, based on techniques proven to work, Axes Physical Therapy can help you achieve the strength, flexibility, and pain relief your body needs to be at its best, and that you need to live your best life. If you’re prepared to at long last be free from the issues holding you back, request an appointment with an Axes Ferguson, MO spine specialist, or get in touch with the Axes location most convenient for you.

Missouri law mandates that a prescription is required 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 Ferguson, MO is what you need. You can also take advantage of one of Axes’ free injury screenings.

The Anatomy of the Spine

The spine supports both our physical bodies, and how our bodies communicate. It extends from the base of your skull to your tailbone. The spine consists of:

Vertebrae

There are 33 vertebrae from the top to bottom of the spine, which are small bones that stack on top of each other to form the spinal canal. Every vertebra has a hole in the center to safeguard the spinal cord and its nerves. The vertebrae are grouped into five regions. 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 first 3 regions are the only ones that can move; the others are immobile.

Facet Joints

Facet joints connect the vertebrae. They allow your back and neck to perform a variety of movements. 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 absorb the stress and shock the body is put under when moving. Every two vertebrae have one disc between them. Discs have a “gel-like” center known as the nucleus pulposus, which allows for mobility and absorption, and a tough, circular exterior known as the annulus fibrosus that prevent the nucleus pulposus from leaking out.

Spinal Cord

The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular collection of nerves, from your brain to your tailbone, where the nerves extend into the lower part of your body. The spinal cord is protected by the vertebral column. The nerves branch out to other parts of the body through holes in the vertebrae known as 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

The spine also has muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Ligaments attach vertebrae, hold them together, and give them structure. Tendons attach muscles to the vertebrae, and the muscles are what powers the spine’s movement.

A well-functioning spine relies on all of these systems to to work together to achieve optimal movement health and a pain free life. A variety of factors can interfere with the spine and keep you from the activities you love most. If you’re living with back pain or spine issues, a spine specialist in Ferguson, MO like Axes’ physical therapists can get you back to the lifestyle you desire.

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

The American College of Physicians developed guidelines that include numerous 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’ Ferguson, MO spine specialists can help get you feeling great again. Some of the common conditions we treat in Ferguson, MO include:

• Disc Injuries — Herniated discs and bulging discs can be caused by either an injury or general degradation from aging. They put pressure on a nerve which can be painful and limit function. Degenerative disc disease occurs as the cushioning in your spine wears away, and can have symptoms similar to herniated discs.
• Sciatica — Sciatica refers to a variety of conditions which irritate the sciatic nerve, which is our bodies’ longest nerves and originates in the lumbar region. Symptoms include immense pain, weakness, and tingling through your buttock and leg.
• Spinal Stenosis — Stenosis occurs when the spinal cavity becomes too narrow and puts pressure on the spinal cord and nerves. Symptoms include pain, balance problems, and loss of sensation in the extremities.
• Spinal Arthritis — Arthritis is swelling or tenderness in one or more joints. It occurs as the cushioning between the joints wears down over time or from over-exertion. It can also be caused by autoimmune disorders. There are over 100 types of arthritis, most of which can affect the spine.
• Axial Back Pain — Also referred to as nonspecific back pain, this refers to pain that doesn’t have a clear, diagnosable cause. Common causes are obesity or poor posture.

Physical therapy can also help with soft tissue injuries such as muscle strains.

Whatever is causing your back pain or injury, our Ferguson, MO spine specialists will work in tandem with you and your physician to develop an evidence-backed treatment plan to get you back to the things you love doing most and a pain-free life. While some conditions, like degenerative disc disease, won’t ever fully go away, physical therapy is an effective part of a holistic treatment plan that eases symptoms and achieves optimal mobility.

If what’s ailing you requires surgery, we can work with you in your pre- and post-surgical rehab in Ferguson, MO to help you be healthy for surgery and recovery quickly and safely.

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

More and more people are turning to physical therapy as a non-invasive treatment plan for a variety of musculoskeletal conditions. According to research published By the American College of Physicians, physical therapy can get the same relief and results for some back pain as surgery, and doesn’t involve the same recovery time or risk of adverse side-effects. Early intervention by a licensed Ferguson, MO physical therapist has been demonstrated to reduce long-term opioid dependence.

A spine specialist like those at Axes Physical Therapy will be able to determine what is causing your pain or other issues, and develop 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 techniques, physical therapy can limit symptoms, help your spine and nervous system function better, increase range of motion.

Physical Therapy for Spine Problems

Depending on your specific condition, your Ferguson, MO spine specialist at Axes may implement some of the following practices to help return you to what you love doing most:

• Manual Therapy — Our Ferguson, MO manual therapists are experts at using light pressures and stretches to alleviate symptoms and improve function caused by muscle or joint dysfunction. Hand-on services we may incorporate into your treatment plan include:
  • Trigger point dry needling
  • Soft tissue mobilization
  • Joint mobilization and manipulation
  • Trigger point massage
• Guided Exercise — Safe exercises are crucial for helping you build up strength, flexibility, and balance. In addition to limiting symptoms now, guided exercise will also help overall function and improve movement health. Exercises we might assign include:
  • Core stabilization
  • Postural retraining
  • Flexibility
  • Cardio conditioning
  • Strength training
  • Home exercise
• Injury Prevention — There’s nothing worse than believing you’ve gotten past an injury, only to aggravate it. We help you understand the musculoskeletal system and how yours is being affected, so you can learn how to be active safely. Injury prevention includes:
  • Patient education
  • Lifting education
  • Activity modification
  • Conditioning

Your treatment plan in Ferguson, 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 designed based on peer-reviewed studies that those techniques have been proven to work.

Other conditions we help treat in Ferguson, 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

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

Don’t allow a spine condition keep you from what you love doing most. At Axes, our Ferguson, MO spine specialists strive for positive patient outcomes. You didn’t decide to live with this condition, but you do not have to decide to live with it. For a licensed and knowledgeable Ferguson, MO spine specialist to treat you, request an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today or find the location nearest you