Spine Specialist Near Me in Hawk Point, MO

Spine specialist near me in Hawk Point, MO. Lower back pain can make normal activities like sitting up difficult, and keep us from optimal movement health. For athletes, back issues can prevent you from being at the top of their game. For workers, it can impede your ability to put food on the table for your Hawk Point, MO family. For others, it can prevent us from taking walks or playing with our children like we love doing. Physical therapists with a spine specialty can help you get back to the functional and pain-free life you’re looking for. By creating a personalized treatment plan, based on techniques proven to work, Axes Physical Therapy can help you live your best life. If you’re prepared to at long last move on from debilitating back pain, request an appointment with an Axes Hawk Point, MO spine specialist, or get in touch with the Axes location nearest you.

According to Missouri Revised Statute §334.506, a doctor needs to prescribe physical therapy. If you’re recovering from a back or neck injury, or are find that back pain is disrupting your daily life, consult with your physician about if physical therapy with a spine specialist in Hawk Point, MO is right for you. In the meantime, take advantage of one of our no-obligation injury screenings.

The Human Spine

The spine supports both our physical bodies, and how our bodies communicate. It starts at the base of your skull and ends at your tailbone. There are several different parts of your spine:

Vertebrae

The spine has 33 vertebrae, 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 allow us to move; the others are fused when we’re babies.

Facet Joints

Each vertebra is connected to two facet joints which connect the bones to each other. 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 circular cushions between the vertebrae that absorb the stress and shock the body is put under when moving. There is one disc between each vertebra. Discs have a softer center known as the nucleus pulposus, which gives them flexibility and allows them to absorb shock, and a tough, circular exterior called the annulus fibrosus that protect the disc and connect the vertebrae.

Spinal Cord

The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular structure, extending from the brain to your lumbar region, where the nerves extend into the lower part of your body. The spinal cord is protected by spinal fluid and a membrane called dura mater. The neural foramen are openings in the vertebrae where the nerves to go into other parts of the body. The spinal cord carries messages between our brain and other parts of our body.

Soft Tissue

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

A well-functioning spine needs all of these systems to to work together to achieve optimal movement health and a pain free life. A variety of conditions can make the spine damaged or unhealthy, which can significantly limit your ability to enjoy the activities you love most. If you’re dealing with back pain or spine issues, a spine specialist in Hawk Point, MO like Axes’ physical therapists can provide safe and effective relief.

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

The American College of Physicians recommends 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’ Hawk Point, MO spine specialists can help you live your best life. Some of the common conditions we treat in Hawk Point, MO include:

• Disc Injuries — Herniated discs and bulging discs can be the result of either an injury or general degradation from aging. They put pressure on a nerve which can be painful and limit mobility. Degenerative disc disease occurs as the cushioning in your spine wears away, and greatly decreases flexibility.
• Sciatica — Sciatica is a general term for irritation of the sciatic nerve, which is our bodies’ longest nerves and begins in the lumbar region. Symptoms include debilitating pain, weakness, and numbness 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. It can cause pain, issues with walking or other movements, and loss of sensation in the extremities.
• Spinal Arthritis — Arthritis is swelling or tenderness in one or more joints. It occurs as the cartilage between the joints degrades over time or from repeated trauma. It can also be caused by autoimmune disorders. The term “arthritis” describes over a hundred conditions, most of which can affect the facet joints of the spine.
• Axial Back Pain — Also known 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 condition is currently ailing you, our Hawk Point, MO spine specialists will form a team with you and your doctor to develop an evidence-backed treatment plan to get you back to the activities you love and a pain-free life. While some conditions, like arthritis, won’t ever fully go away, physical therapy can be part of a comprehensive wellness routine that eases symptoms and returns optimal mobility.

If you need surgery on your spine, we offer pre- and post-surgical rehab in Hawk Point, MO to help get the best results possible.

What a Physical Therapy Spine Specialist Can Do For Me in Hawk Point, MO

Physical therapy is becoming an increasingly popular non-invasive treatment plan for a variety of issues affecting our musculoskeletal system. According to research published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, physical therapy is just as effective as surgery for certain types of back pain, without the same risk of complications. Early intervention by a licensed Hawk Point, MO physical therapist is proven to limit long-term opioid dependence.

A professional spine specialist will be able to find the root cause of your back problems, and develop a treatment plan based on your medical history, how old you are, and your desired activity level. Through a variety of exercises and manual manipulations, physical therapy can reduce pain, help your spine and nervous system function better, increase flexibility.

Physical Therapy for Spine Issues

Depending on your specific condition, your Hawk Point, MO spine specialist at Axes may implement some of the following practices to help return you to the activities you love:

• Hands-On Care — Our Hawk Point, MO manual therapists are able to use subtle 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 essential for helping you build up strength, flexibility, and balance. In addition to limiting pain now, certain exercises 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 overcome 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 can learn how to be active safely. Our injury prevention program includes:
  • Patient education
  • Lifting education
  • Activity modification
  • Conditioning

Your treatment plan in Hawk Point, MO will be holistic and focused on getting you to your best possible movement health and helping you stay there. However we recommend treating your spine condition or back pain, it will designed based on time-tested techniques.

Other services we offer in Hawk Point, MO include:

• 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
• Hip Replacement Physical Therapy

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

Don’t allow a back injury prevent you from the activities you love. At Axes, our Hawk Point, MO spine specialists are dedicated to positive patient outcomes. You didn’t decide to live with this condition, but you do not have to choose to live with it. For a professional and qualified Hawk Point, MO spine specialist to help you, request an evaluation with Axes Physical Therapy now or reach out to the location most convenient for you