Spine Specialist Near Me in Olympian Village, MO

Spine specialist near me in Olympian Village, MO. Spinal conditions can make basic activities like bending over excruciating, and disrupt how our bodies function. For physically active people, back injuries can prevent you from being at the top of their game. For breadwinners, it can prevent you from putting food on the table for your Olympian Village, MO family. For others, it can prevent us from taking the dog for a walk or playing with our children like we love doing. Physical therapists with a spine specialty can help you get back to the functional and pain-free life you’re looking for. By creating a custom treatment plan, based on techniques proven to work, Axes Physical Therapy can help you achieve the mobility 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 a crippling back condition, request an evaluation with an Axes Olympian Village, MO spine specialist, or reach out to the Axes location nearest you.

Under Missouri law, a doctor needs to prescribe physical therapy. If you’re dealing with a recent injury or find that back pain is disrupting your daily life, consult with your physician about if physical therapy with a spine specialist in Olympian Village, MO is right for you. You can also take advantage of one of our complimentary 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 extends from the base of your skull to your tailbone. The spine consists 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 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 when we’re babies.

Facet Joints

Facet joints are the small joints that connect the bony tips of vertebrae on the back of the spine. 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 circular cushions between the vertebrae that act as shock absorbers. There is one disc between each vertebra. Discs have a softer center known as the nucleus pulposus, which allows for mobility and absorption, and a tough, circular exterior called the annulus fibrosus that protect the disc and connect the vertebrae.

Spinal Cord

The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular structure, extending from the brain to your lumbar region, where the nerves continue into your legs. 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 holes 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 bones together, hold them together, and give them structure. Muscles are connected to bones by tendons, and power their movement.

A well-functioning spine relies on all of these different structures to function properly and in unison to achieve optimal movement health and a pain free life. Numerous different conditions can interfere with the spine and keep you from the things you love doing. When that happens, a spine specialist in Olympian Village, MO like Axes’ physical therapists can get you back to the lifestyle you desire.

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

The American College of Physicians recommends certain physical therapy treatments for people living with lower back pain and neck pain. Whether you’re living with chronic pain or recently sustained a work injury, Axes’ Olympian Village, MO spine specialists can help get you feeling great again. Some of the common conditions we treat in Olympian Village, MO include:

• Disc Injuries — Herniated discs and bulging discs can be due to either an injury or wear and tear from aging. They can impinge 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 refers to a variety of conditions which irritate the sciatic nerve, which is our bodies’ longest nerves and begins near your tailbone. 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, balance problems, and numbness or tingling in your hands or feet.
• 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 over-exertion. 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 spine.
• Axial Back Pain — Also referred to as 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 soft tissue injuries such as muscle strains.

Whatever condition is currently ailing you, our Olympian Village, MO spine specialists will work 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 stenosis, can’t be “cured,” physical therapy can be part of a comprehensive treatment plan that eases symptoms and achieves optimal mobility.

If your spine condition requires surgery, we can work with you in your pre- and post-surgical rehab in Olympian Village, MO to help attain the best results possible.

What a Physical Therapy Spine Specialist Can Do For Me in Olympian Village, MO

Physical therapy is becoming an increasingly popular 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, without the same risk of complications. Early intervention by a licensed Olympian Village, MO physical therapist is proven to limit long-term opioid dependence.

A spine specialist like those at Axes Physical Therapy will be able to find the root cause of your back problems, and design a treatment plan based on your medical history, how old you are, and the lifestyle you wish to achieve or get back to. Through a variety of exercises and manual manipulations, physical therapy can reduce pain, improve the function of your spine by improving strength and flexibility, enhance range of motion.

Physical Therapy for Spine Conditions

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

• Manual Therapy — Our Olympian Village, MO manual therapists are able to use subtle pressures and stretches to decrease back pain due to spinal issues. Hand-on services we may use to help 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 decreasing pain now, guided exercise will allow you to maintain a well-functioning 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. Injury prevention includes:
  • Patient education
  • Lifting education
  • Activity modification
  • Conditioning

Your treatment plan in Olympian Village, MO will be based not on just recovery or pain relief, but on getting you to optimal function and keeping you there. Whatever your treatment plan includes, it will be based on time-tested techniques.

Other services we offer in Olympian Village, 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 Olympian Village, MO

Don’t let a back injury keep you from the activities you love. At Axes, our Olympian Village, MO spine specialists strive for 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 Olympian Village, MO spine specialist to help you, request an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy now or find the location nearest you