Spine Specialist Near Me in Old Jamestown, MO

Spine specialist near me in Old Jamestown, MO. Lower back pain can make normal activities like bending over difficult, and keep us from optimal movement health. For people who play sports, back issues can prevent you from being at peak performance. For breadwinners, it can prevent you from putting food on the table for your Old Jamestown, MO loved ones. For others, it can keep us from going on bike ride 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. Through safe and proven exercises and treatment plans, Axes Physical Therapy can help you achieve the lifestyle you desire. If you’re ready to finally move on from the issues holding you back, schedule an evaluation with an Axes Old Jamestown, MO spine specialist, or call the Axes location most convenient for you.

Pursuant 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, ask your doctor if physical therapy with a spine specialist in Old Jamestown, MO can be safe and effective for you. You can also take advantage of one of Axes’ free injury screenings.

The Anatomy of the Spine

The spine is our central support structure, and allows our brain and body to coordinate with each other. It begins at the base of your skull and ends at your tailbone. There are several different parts of your spine:

Vertebrae

There are 33 vertebrae stacked along the spine, which are small bones that stack on top of each other to form the spinal canal. Every vertebra has a hole in the center to protect the spinal cord and its nerves. 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 first 3 regions allow us to 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. There is one disc between each vertebra. Discs have a “gel-like” center known as the nucleus pulposus, which gives them flexibility and allows them to absorb shock, 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 extend into the lower part of your body. The spinal cord is protected by spinal fluid and a membrane called dura mater. The nerves branch out to other parts of the body through openings in the vertebrae called the neural foramen. The spinal cord is how our bodies and brains communicate.

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. A variety of conditions can interfere with the spine and keep you from the things you love doing. When that happens, a spine specialist in Old Jamestown, MO like Axes’ physical therapists can provide safe and effective relief.

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

The American College of Physicians developed guidelines that include certain physical therapy treatments for people living with lower back pain and neck pain. Whether you’re dealing with pain on a daily basis or recently sustained a work injury, Axes’ Old Jamestown, MO spine specialists can help get you feeling great again. Some of the common conditions we help with in Old Jamestown, MO include:

• Disc Injuries — Herniated discs and bulging discs can be caused by either an injury or general degradation as we get older. They can impinge on a nerve which can cause severe pain along your neck and back and limit strength. 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 originates in the lumbar region. Symptoms include crippling 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 describes several different types of joint disease. It onsets as the cushioning between the joints wears down over time or from repeated trauma. Obesity, autoimmune disorders, and other conditions can also lead to arthritis. 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 known, recognizable cause. Common causes are obesity or poor posture.

Physical therapy can also help with muscle strains, whiplash, and other more acute injuries.

Whatever condition is currently ailing you, our Old Jamestown, MO spine specialists will form a team with you and your physician to develop an evidence-backed treatment plan to get you back to the things you love doing most and a pain-free life. While some conditions, like degenerative disc disease, 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 Old Jamestown, MO to help attain the best results possible.

What a Physical Therapy Spine Specialist Can Do For You in Old Jamestown, MO

More and more people are turning to physical therapy as a non-surgical option for a variety of issues affecting our musculoskeletal system. According to a study 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 recovery time or risk of adverse side-effects. Early intervention by a licensed Old Jamestown, MO physical therapist has been demonstrated 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 develop a treatment plan based on your medical history, your age, and your desired activity level. Through a variety of exercises and manual manipulations, physical therapy can reduce pain, help your spine and nervous system function better, enhance flexibility.

Physical Therapy for Spine Issues

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

• Manual Therapy — Our Old Jamestown, MO manual therapists are experts at using subtle pressures and stretches to alleviate symptoms and improve function due to spinal issues. Manual therapy we may use to help you include:
  • Trigger point 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. Beyond limiting symptoms now, certain exercises will allow you to maintain a healthy 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 — It’s beyond frustrating to feel like you’ve gotten past 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 Old Jamestown, MO will be holistic and focused on getting you to optimal movement health and helping you stay there. Whatever your treatment plan includes, it will designed based on time-tested techniques.

Other services we offer in Old Jamestown, 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 Old Jamestown, MO

Don’t allow a spine condition keep you from what you love doing most. At Axes, our Old Jamestown, MO spine specialists are dedicated to positive patient outcomes. You didn’t decide to live with this condition, but you do not have to choose to live with it. For a licensed and experienced Old Jamestown, MO spine specialist to treat you, schedule an evaluation with Axes Physical Therapy now or reach out to the location nearest you