Spine Specialist Near Me in Labadie, MO

Spine specialist near me in Labadie, MO. Spinal conditions can make normal tasks like laying down difficult, and keep us from optimal movement health. For people who play sports, back problems can prevent you from being at peak performance. For workers, it can impede your ability to provide for your Labadie, MO family. For others, it can keep us from taking walks 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 looking for. By developing a custom treatment plan, based on techniques proven to work, Axes Physical Therapy can help you live your best life. If you’re prepared to finally be free from debilitating back pain, schedule an appointment with an Axes Labadie, MO spine specialist, or get in touch with the Axes location most convenient for you.

Missouri Revised Statute §334.506 requires a prescription for physical therapy. If you’re dealing with a recent injury or find that back pain is keeping you from the activities you love, consult with your physician about if physical therapy with a spine specialist in Labadie, MO can be safe and effective for you. In the meantime, take advantage of one of Axes’ no-obligation injury screenings.

The Human Spine

The spine supports both our physical bodies, and how our bodies communicate. It begins at the base of your brain and ends at 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 protect the spinal cord and its nerves. There are five vertebral 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

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 the bones to move without grinding against each other.

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 middle known as the nucleus pulposus, which allows for mobility and absorption, 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 long, thin, tubular collection of nerves, extending from the brain to your lumbar region, where the nerves continue into your lower 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

Surrounding and within the spine are also various types of soft tissue. Ligaments attach bones together, hold them in place, and give them 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 keep you from the activities you love most. If you’re living with back pain or spine issues, a spine specialist in Labadie, MO like Axes’ physical therapists can get you back to the lifestyle you desire.

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

The American College of Physicians recommends certain physical therapy treatments for lower back pain and neck pain. Whether you’re dealing with pain on a everyday basis or recently sustained a work injury, Axes’ Labadie, MO spine specialists can help you live your best life. Some of the common conditions we treat in Labadie, MO include:

• Disc Injuries — Herniated discs and bulging discs can be the result of either acute trauma or wear and tear 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 can have symptoms similar to herniated discs.
• 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 immense pain, weakness, and numbness through your buttock and leg.
• Spinal Stenosis — Stenosis occurs when the space inside your backbone is too small. It can cause pain, problems with walking or other movements, and loss of sensation in your hands or feet.
• Spinal Arthritis — Arthritis is the inflammation of the facet joints. It onsets as the cushioning between the joints wears down over time or from overuse. It can also be caused by autoimmune disorders. There are over 100 types of arthritis, most of which are possible in the spine.
• Axial Back Pain — Also referred to as nonspecific back pain, this refers to pain that doesn’t have a known, recognizable cause. Axial 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 Labadie, MO spine specialists will work alongside you and your doctor to design 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 stenosis, can’t be “cured,” physical therapy can be part of a holistic wellness routine that reduces pain and other symptoms and regains optimal mobility.

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

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

Physical therapy is becoming an increasingly popular non-surgical option for a variety of issues affecting our musculoskeletal system. According to a paper published By the American College of Physicians, 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 Labadie, MO physical therapist has been demonstrated to limit long-term opioid dependence.

A knowledgeable and experienced spine specialist will be able to find the root cause of your back problems, and develop a treatment plan based on your current and previous medical conditions, your age, and your desired activity level. Through a variety of exercises and manual therapy, physical therapy can limit symptoms, improve the function of your spine by improving strength and flexibility, boost range of motion.

Physical Therapy for Spine Problems

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

• Manual Therapy — Our Labadie, MO manual therapists are experts at using light manipulations and stretches to decrease back pain caused by muscle or joint dysfunction. Hand-on services we may use to treat you include:
  • Trigger point 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 decreasing 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 — It’s beyond frustrating to feel like you’re moving on from an injury, only to suffer another injury in the future. We help you understand your injury and how it affects your body’s function, so you can learn how to be active safely. Injury prevention includes:
  • Patient education
  • Lifting education
  • Activity modification
  • Conditioning

Your treatment plan in Labadie, MO will be based not on just recovery or pain relief, but on getting you to your best possible 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 services we offer in Labadie, 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 Labadie, MO

Don’t let a back injury prevent you from living the life you want. At Axes, our Labadie, MO spine specialists strive for positive patient outcomes. You didn’t decide to live with back pain, but you do not have to choose to live with it. For a professional and experienced Labadie, MO spine specialist to treat you, request an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today or find the location most convenient for you