Spine Specialist Near Me in Mapaville, MO

Spine specialist near me in Mapaville, MO. Lower back pain can make everyday tasks like laying down difficult, and keep us from optimal movement health. For athletes, back problems can prevent you from being at the top of their game. For breadwinners, it can impede your ability to put food on the table for your Mapaville, MO loved ones. 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 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 be at its best, and that you need to live your best life. If you’re ready to at long last be free from the issues holding you back, schedule an evaluation with an Axes Mapaville, MO spine specialist, or call the Axes location most convenient for you.

According to Missouri law, a doctor needs to prescribe physical therapy. If you’re recovering from a back or neck injury, or are living with chronic pain, consult with your physician about if physical therapy with a spine specialist in Mapaville, MO is right for you. You can also visit one of our locations for one of Axes’ no-obligation 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 begins 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 form the backbone. The spinal cord and nerves run through holes in the middle of each vertebra. 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 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 extend, bend, twist, and rotate. They are lined with cartilage and lubricated with 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 “gel-like” middle called 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 structure, from your brain to your pelvis, where the nerves go into the lower part of your body. The spinal cord is protected by the vertebral column. The neural foramen are openings in the vertebrae where 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 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. A variety of conditions can interfere with the spine and keep you from the things you love doing. If you’re living with back pain or spine issues, a spine specialist in Mapaville, MO like Axes’ physical therapists can get you back to doing what you love most.

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

The American College of Physicians developed guidelines that include certain physical therapy treatments for lower back pain and neck pain. Whether you’re living with chronic pain or recently sustained a work injury, Axes’ Mapaville, MO spine specialists can help you live your best life. Some of the common conditions we help with in Mapaville, MO include:

• Disc Injuries — Herniated discs and bulging discs can be caused by either an injury or wear and tear as we get older. They put pressure on a nerve which can be painful and limit function. Degenerative disc disease occurs as a natural result of aging, and greatly decreases flexibility.
• Sciatica — Sciatica is a general term for irritation of the sciatic nerve, which is the largest nerve in the body and begins in the lower spine. It can cause to debilitating pain, weakness, and tingling down one side of your body.
• Spinal Stenosis — Stenosis occurs when the vertebral column is too small. It can cause pain, balance problems, and numbness or tingling in the extremities.
• Spinal Arthritis — Arthritis describes several different types of joint disease. It occurs as the cushioning between the joints degrades over time or from overuse. Obesity, autoimmune disorders, and other conditions can also lead to arthritis. There are over 100 types of arthritis, most of which can affect the spine.
• Axial Back Pain — Also called nonspecific back pain, this refers to pain that doesn’t have 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 whiplash.

Whatever is causing your back pain or injury, our Mapaville, MO spine specialists will work with you and your doctor to develop 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, 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 what’s ailing you requires surgery, we offer pre- and post-surgical rehab in Mapaville, MO to help get the best results possible.

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

Physical therapy is becoming an increasingly popular non-surgical option 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, and doesn’t involve the same risk of complications. Early intervention by a licensed Mapaville, 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 build a treatment plan based on your injures, your age, and your desired activity level. Through numerous different exercises and manual manipulations, physical therapy can limit symptoms, help your spine and nervous system function better, enhance flexibility.

Physical Therapy for Spine Issues

Depending on what is causing your back pain or spine dysfunction, your Mapaville, 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 Mapaville, MO manual therapists are experts at using 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 body stronger and more flexible. In addition to decreasing pain now, certain exercises will allow you to maintain a well-functioning spine while going to work or doing the activities you love most. 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’re moving on from an injury, only to suffer another injury in the future. We’ll educate you about the musculoskeletal system and how yours is being affected, so you’ll know how to protect your spine while being active. Injury prevention includes:
  • Patient education
  • Lifting education
  • Activity modification
  • Conditioning

Your treatment plan in Mapaville, MO will be based not on just recovery or pain relief, but on getting you to your best possible function and helping you stay there. However we recommend treating your spine condition or back pain, it will designed based on time-tested techniques.

Other conditions we help treat in Mapaville, MO include:

• Soft Tissue Mobilization
• Post Surgical Rehabilitation
• Shin Splint Treatment
• Direct Access Physical Therapy
• Gait Analysis
• Pelvic Floor Therapy
• Dry Needling Near Me
• Tendonitis Treatment
• Manual Physical Therapy
• Orthopedic Rehab Near Me

Call Axes For Your Spine Specialist Near Me in Mapaville, MO

Don’t allow a back injury prevent you from what you love doing most. At Axes, our Mapaville, 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 licensed and knowledgeable Mapaville, MO spine specialist to help you, schedule an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy now or contact the location nearest you