Spine Specialist Near Me in Ozark View, MO

Spine specialist near me in Ozark View, MO. Lower back issues can make everyday tasks like walking up the stairs difficult, and keep us from optimal movement health. For people who play sports, back issues 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 Ozark View, MO family. For others, it can prevent us from taking the dog for a walk or other physical activities. Physical therapists who specialize in the spine can help you get back to what you love doing most. Through safe and proven exercises and treatment plans, Axes Physical Therapy can help you achieve the lifestyle you desire. If you’re prepared to at long last move on from the issues holding you back, request an appointment with an Axes Ozark View, MO spine specialist, or get in touch with the Axes location nearest you.

Under Missouri law, 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, ask your doctor if physical therapy with a spine specialist in Ozark View, MO is what you need. In the meantime, visit one of our locations for one of Axes’ complimentary injury screenings.

The Anatomy of the Spine

The spine supports both our physical bodies, and how our bodies communicate. It extends from the base of your skull to your pelvis. There are several different parts of your spine:

Vertebrae

The spine has 33 vertebrae, 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 safeguard 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 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 perform a variety of movements. They are lined with cartilage and lubricated with synovial fluid, allowing the bones to move safely.

Intervertebral Discs

Discs are the circular cushions between the vertebrae that absorb shock and prevent the vertebrae from grinding against each other. There is one disc between each vertebra. Discs have a “gel-like” middle known as the nucleus pulposus, which gives them flexibility and allows them to absorb impact, and an outer ring of tough fibers called the annulus fibrosus that protect the disc and connect the vertebrae.

Spinal Cord

The spinal cord is made up of of nerves running up the bones in your spine, from your brain to your pelvis, where the nerves extend into the lower part of your 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 is how our bodies and brains communicate.

Soft Tissue

Surrounding and within the spine are also various types of soft tissue. Ligaments connect bones together, hold them together, and give them structure. Tendons attach muscles to the vertebrae, and the muscles are what powers the spine’s movement.

A well-functioning spine relies on all of these systems to to work together to achieve optimal movement health and a pain free life. Numerous different factors can make the spine damaged or unhealthy, which can severely limit your ability to enjoy the activities you love most. When that happens, a spine specialist in Ozark View, MO like Axes’ physical therapists can get you back to doing what you love most.

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

The American College of Physicians developed guidelines that include numerous 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’ Ozark View, MO spine specialists can help get you feeling great again. Some of the common conditions we treat in Ozark View, MO include:

• Disc Injuries — Herniated discs and bulging discs can be due to either an injury or general degradation 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 greatly decreases flexibility.
• Sciatica — Sciatica is an umbrella term for irritation of the sciatic nerve, which is our bodies’ longest nerves and begins in the lumbar region. Symptoms include debilitating pain, weakness, and numbness through your buttock and leg.
• 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 issues, and loss of sensation 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 isn’t brought on by 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 condition is currently ailing you, our Ozark View, MO spine specialists will form a team with you and your physician to design an evidence-backed treatment plan to get you back to the activities you love and a more comfortable life. While some conditions, like arthritis, won’t ever fully go away, physical therapy is an effective part of a comprehensive wellness routine that eases symptoms and regains optimal mobility.

If you need surgery on your spine, we offer pre- and post-surgical rehab in Ozark View, MO to help your surgery go as well as possible.

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

Physical therapy is becoming an increasingly popular non-invasive treatment plan for a variety of issues affecting our musculoskeletal system. According to a paper published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, 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 Ozark View, 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 create a treatment plan based on your injures, your age, and the lifestyle you wish to achieve or get back to. Through a variety of exercises and manual manipulations, physical therapy can limit symptoms, help your spine and nervous system function better, boost flexibility.

Physical Therapy for Spine Problems

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

• Hands-On Care — Our Ozark View, MO manual therapists are able to use light manipulations and stretches to decrease back pain 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 soft tissue, joints, and bones 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. Exercises we might assign include:
  • Core stabilization
  • Postural retraining
  • Flexibility
  • Cardio conditioning
  • Strength training
  • Home exercise
• Injury Prevention — It’s incredibly frustrating to believe 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. Injury prevention includes:
  • Patient education
  • Lifting education
  • Activity modification
  • Conditioning

Your treatment plan in Ozark View, MO will be holistic and focused on getting you to optimal movement health and helping you stay there. However we recommend treating your spine condition or back pain, it will be based on peer-reviewed studies that those techniques have been proven to work.

Other conditions we help treat in Ozark View, MO include:

• Stroke Rehabilitation
• Hip Replacement Physical Therapy
• Workers Comp' Physical Therapy
• Migraine Relief
• Sprain and Strain Treatment
• Geriatric Physical Therapy
• Injury Rehabilitation
• Pain Management Services
• TMJ Treatment
• Herniated Disc Treatment

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

Don’t allow a back injury keep you from what you love doing most. At Axes, our Ozark View, 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 professional and experienced Ozark View, MO spine specialist to treat you, schedule an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy now or reach out to the location closest to you