Spine Specialist Near Me in Mechanicsville, MO

Spine specialist near me in Mechanicsville, MO. Lower back issues can make everyday tasks like sitting up painful, and interrupt how our bodies function. For people who play sports, back issues can keep you from being at peak performance. For breadwinners, it can impede your ability to put food on the table for your Mechanicsville, MO family. For others, it can keep us from going on bike ride 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 seeking. Through safe and proven exercises and treatment plans, Axes Physical Therapy can help you achieve the mobility and pain relief your body needs to function, and that you need to live your best life. If you’re prepared to finally move on from debilitating back pain, request an evaluation with an Axes Mechanicsville, MO spine specialist, or get in touch with the Axes location nearest you.

Pursuant 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 keeping you from the activities you love, consult with your physician about if physical therapy with a spine specialist in Mechanicsville, MO can be safe and effective for you. You can also come see us for one of our 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 pelvis. The spine is made up of:

Vertebrae

There are 33 vertebrae from the top to bottom of the spine, which are small bones that form the backbone. Every vertebra has a hole in the center to safeguard the spinal cord and its nerves. 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 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 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. There is one disc between each vertebra. Discs have a “gel-like” middle known as the nucleus pulposus, which allows for mobility and absorption, and a tough, circular exterior known as the annulus fibrosus that prevent the nucleus pulposus from leaking out.

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 nerves extend to other parts of the body through holes in the vertebrae known as the neural foramen. The spinal cord is how our bodies and brains communicate.

Soft Tissue

Surrounding and within the spine are also muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Ligaments attach vertebrae and holds them in the correct structure. Muscles are connected to bones by tendons, and power their movement.

Living the lifestyle we want depends on all of these parts working together and functioning properly. Numerous different factors can make the spine damaged or unhealthy, which can greatly limit your ability to enjoy the activities you love most. If you’re living with back pain or spine issues, a spine specialist in Mechanicsville, MO like Axes’ physical therapists can get you back to the lifestyle you desire.

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

The American College of Physicians recommends 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 work injury, Axes’ Mechanicsville, MO spine specialists can help get you feeling great again. Some of the common conditions we treat in Mechanicsville, MO are:

• Disc Injuries — Herniated discs and bulging discs can be due to either an injury or wear and tear as we get older. They put pressure on a nerve which can be painful and limit mobility. Degenerative disc disease occurs as a natural result of aging, and can have symptoms similar to herniated discs.
• Sciatica — Sciatica is an umbrella term for irritation of the sciatic nerve, which is our bodies’ longest nerves and begins near your tailbone. It can lead to debilitating pain, weakness, and numbness through your buttock and leg.
• Spinal Stenosis — Stenosis occurs when the space inside your backbone is too small. Symptoms include pain, problems 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 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 facet joints of the spine.
• Axial Back Pain — Also called 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 can also help with soft tissue injuries such as muscle strains.

Whatever is causing your back pain or injury, our Mechanicsville, MO spine specialists will work with you and your physician 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 stenosis, won’t ever fully go away, physical therapy can be part of a holistic treatment plan that reduces pain and other symptoms and achieves optimal mobility.

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

What a Physical Therapy Spine Specialist Can Do For Me in Mechanicsville, 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 is just as effective as surgery for certain types of back pain, without the same recovery time or risk of adverse side-effects. Early intervention by a licensed Mechanicsville, MO physical therapist is proven to reduce 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 current and previous medical conditions, how old you are, and your desired activity level. Through numerous different exercises and manual therapy, physical therapy can reduce pain, improve the function of your spine by improving strength and flexibility, increase flexibility.

Physical Therapy for Spine Issues

Depending on what is causing your back pain or spine dysfunction, your Mechanicsville, MO spine specialist at Axes may include some of the following in your treatment plan:

• Hands-On Care — Our Mechanicsville, MO manual therapists are experts at using light manipulations and stretches to alleviate symptoms and improve function caused by muscle or joint dysfunction. Manual therapy we may use to treat you include:
  • Dry needling
  • Soft tissue mobilization
  • Joint mobilization and manipulation
  • Trigger point massage
• Guided Exercise — Safe exercises are crucial for getting your soft tissue, joints, and bones stronger and more flexible. In addition to limiting pain now, guided exercise will allow you to maintain a healthy spine when you’re on the move. 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’re moving on from an injury, only to aggravate it. We help you understand the musculoskeletal system and how yours is being affected, 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 Mechanicsville, MO will be comprehensive and focused on getting you to your best possible function and keeping you there. Whatever your treatment plan includes, it will be based on peer-reviewed studies that those techniques have been proven to work.

Other services we offer in Mechanicsville, MO include:

• Beginner Running Program
• Chronic Pain Treatment
• MCL Injury
• Shoulder Pain
• Injury Prevention
• Mobility
• Knee Injury
• Joint Pain
• Sciatica

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

Don’t let a spine condition prevent you from living the life you want. At Axes, our Mechanicsville, MO spine specialists are dedicated to positive patient outcomes. Your pain may not have been your choice, but you do not have to decide to live with it. For a professional and knowledgeable Mechanicsville, MO spine specialist to help you, request an evaluation with Axes Physical Therapy today or find the location most convenient for you