Spine Specialist Near Me in Innsbrook, MO

Spine specialist near me in Innsbrook, MO. Spinal conditions can make normal tasks like laying down excruciating, and keep us from optimal movement health. For physically active people, back issues can prevent you from being at the top of their game. For breadwinners, it can prevent you from providing for your Innsbrook, MO loved ones. For others, it can keep us from going on bike ride or other physical activities. Physical therapists who specialize in the spine can help return to the functional and pain-free life you’re seeking. Through safe and proven exercises and treatment plans, Axes Physical Therapy can help you achieve the strength, flexibility, and pain relief your body needs to function, and that you need to live your best life. If you’re ready to finally move on from debilitating back pain, request an appointment with an Axes Innsbrook, MO spine specialist, or call 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 Innsbrook, MO can be safe and effective for you. You can also take advantage of one of Axes’ no-obligation injury screenings.

The Human 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 stack on top of each other to form the spinal canal. 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 are the only ones that can move; the others are immobile.

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 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 circular cushions between the vertebrae that act as shock absorbers. Every two vertebrae have one disc between them. Discs have a softer center known as the nucleus pulposus, which allows for mobility and absorption, and a tough, circular exterior called the annulus fibrosus that surrounds and protects the gel-like center.

Spinal Cord

The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular collection of nerves, 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 neural foramen are openings in the vertebrae that allow the nerves to go into other parts of the body. 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 various types of soft tissue. Ligaments connect vertebrae and holds them in the correct structure. Muscles are connected to bones by tendons, and power their movement.

Achieving the lifestyle we want depends on all of these parts working together and functioning properly. Numerous different conditions can interfere with the spine and severely limit your ability to enjoy the activities you love most. When that happens, a spine specialist in Innsbrook, MO like Axes’ physical therapists can get you back to the lifestyle you desire.

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

The American College of Physicians developed guidelines that include a variety of 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’ Innsbrook, MO spine specialists can help get you feeling great again. Some of the common conditions we provide relief and improved function for in Innsbrook, MO include:

• Disc Injuries — Herniated discs and bulging discs can be due to either acute trauma or wear and tear as we get older. They can impinge on a nerve which can be painful and limit function. Degenerative disc disease occurs as the cushioning in your spine wears away, and greatly decreases flexibility.
• Sciatica — Sciatica is an umbrella term for irritation of the sciatic nerve, which is our bodies’ longest nerves and originates in the lumbar region. It can cause to immense pain, weakness, and numbness from your buttocks all the way down to your foot.
• Spinal Stenosis — Stenosis occurs when the vertebral column is too small. Symptoms include pain, problems with walking or other movements, and numbness or tingling in the extremities.
• Spinal Arthritis — Arthritis is the inflammation of the facet joints. It occurs as the cushioning between the joints wears down over time or from overuse. It can also be caused by autoimmune disorders. 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 isn’t brought on by a clear, diagnosable cause. Nonspecific back pain can be caused by obesity or poor posture.

Physical therapy is also an effective treatment option for soft tissue injuries such as muscle strains.

Whatever is causing your back pain or injury, our Innsbrook, MO spine specialists will work with you and your doctor to develop a treatment plan, based on proven strategies, and aimed at getting you back to the activities you love and a more comfortable life. While some conditions, like degenerative disc disease, can’t be “cured,” physical therapy can be part of a comprehensive treatment plan that eases symptoms and returns optimal mobility.

If you need surgery on your spine, we offer pre- and post-surgical rehab in Innsbrook, MO to help you be healthy for surgery and recovery quickly and safely.

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

Physical therapy is becoming an increasingly popular non-invasive treatment plan for a variety of musculoskeletal conditions. According to a study published By the American College of Physicians, 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 Innsbrook, MO physical therapist is proven to limit the risk of long-term opioid use.

A spine specialist like those at Axes Physical Therapy will be able to determine what is causing your pain or other issues, and create a treatment plan based on your medical history, how old you are, and the lifestyle you wish to achieve or get back to. Through numerous different exercises and manual therapy, physical therapy can reduce pain, improve the function of your spine by increasing strength and flexibility, enhance flexibility.

Physical Therapy for Spine Conditions

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

• Hands-On Care — Our Innsbrook, MO manual therapists are able to use subtle 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:
  • Dry needling
  • Soft tissue mobilization
  • Joint mobilization and manipulation
  • Trigger point massage
• Guided Exercise — Safe exercises are essential 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 when you’re on the move. 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’ve overcome an injury, only to aggravate it. We help you understand 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 Innsbrook, MO will be based not on just recovery or pain relief, but on getting you to optimal movement health 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 Innsbrook, 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 Innsbrook, MO

Don’t let a spine condition prevent you from what you love doing most. At Axes, our Innsbrook, MO spine specialists are dedicated to positive patient outcomes. You didn’t decide to live with this condition, but you can choose to do something about it. For a professional and qualified Innsbrook, MO spine specialist to treat you, schedule an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy now or find the location nearest you