Spine Specialist Near Me in Josephville, MO

Spine specialist near me in Josephville, MO. Lower back issues can make basic activities like standing up painful, and keep us from optimal movement health. For athletes, back issues can prevent you from being at peak performance. For breadwinners, it can prevent you from putting food on the table for your Josephville, MO family. 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 you get back to the functional and pain-free life you’re looking for. Through safe and proven exercises and treatment plans, Axes Physical Therapy can help you achieve the lifestyle you desire. If you’re prepared to finally move on from debilitating back pain, request an appointment with an Axes Josephville, MO spine specialist, or reach out to the Axes location nearest you.

According to Missouri law, 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 Josephville, MO is what you need. In the meantime, take advantage of one of Axes’ free injury screenings.

The Human Spine

The spine is our central support structure, and plays a fundamental role in most movements and how the body communicates with itself. It starts at the base of your skull and ends at your tailbone. There are several different parts of your spine:

Vertebrae

The spine consists of 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 fused into place.

Facet Joints

Each vertebra is connected to two facet joints which connect the bones to each other. 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 act as shock absorbers. There is one disc between each vertebra. Discs have a “gel-like” middle known as the nucleus pulposus, which gives them flexibility and allows them to absorb impact, and a tough, circular exterior known as the annulus fibrosus that surrounds and protects the gel-like center.

Spinal Cord

The spinal cord is a collection of nerves running up the bones in your spine, from your brain to your tailbone, where the nerves continue into your lower extremities. The spinal cord is protected by the vertebrae and other tissue. The nerves extend to other parts of the body through holes in the vertebrae known as 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, 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 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 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 Josephville, MO like Axes’ physical therapists can get you back to the lifestyle you desire.

What Injuries Can a Spine Specialist in Josephville, MO Treat Me For?

The American College of Physicians recommends certain physical therapy treatments for people living with lower back pain and neck pain. Whether you’re dealing with pain on a everyday basis or recently sustained a work injury, Axes’ Josephville, MO spine specialists can help get you feeling great again. Some of the common conditions we provide relief and improved function for in Josephville, MO are:

• Disc Injuries — Herniated discs and bulging discs can be due to either acute trauma or general degradation from aging. They can impinge on a nerve which can cause severe pain along your neck and back and limit strength. Degenerative disc disease occurs as a natural result of aging, and can have symptoms similar to herniated discs.
• Sciatica — Sciatica refers to a variety of conditions which irritate the sciatic nerve, which is the largest nerve in the body and originates in the lumbar region. Symptoms include immense pain, weakness, and tingling from your buttocks all the way down to your foot.
• 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 numbness or tingling in the extremities.
• Spinal Arthritis — Arthritis is swelling or tenderness in one or more joints. It onsets as the cushioning between the joints wears down over time or from repeated injuries. 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 called nonspecific back pain, this refers to pain that doesn’t have 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 Josephville, MO spine specialists will work with you and your physician to design an evidence-backed treatment plan to get you back to the things you love doing most and a more comfortable 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 can work with you in your pre- and post-surgical rehab in Josephville, MO to help your surgery go as well as possible.

What a Physical Therapy Spine Specialist Can Do For Me in Josephville, 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 research 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 Josephville, 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, how old you are, and your desired activity level. Through numerous different exercises and manual manipulations, physical therapy can reduce pain, improve the function of your spine by improving strength and flexibility, boost flexibility.

Physical Therapy for Spine Issues

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

• Manual Therapy — Our Josephville, MO manual therapists are experts at using subtle manipulations and stretches to alleviate symptoms and improve function caused by muscle or joint dysfunction. Manual therapy 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 helping you build up strength, flexibility, and balance. Beyond limiting symptoms 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 — It’s incredibly frustrating to believe you’ve overcome an injury, only to aggravate it. We’ll educate you about the musculoskeletal system and how yours is being affected, 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 Josephville, MO will be comprehensive and focused 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 Josephville, 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 Josephville, MO

Don’t allow a back injury prevent you from the activities you love. At Axes, our Josephville, MO spine specialists are dedicated to positive patient outcomes. Your pain may not have been your choice, but you do not have to choose to live with it. For a professional and experienced Josephville, MO spine specialist to treat you, schedule an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today or contact the location nearest you