Spine Specialist Near Me in Robertsville, MO

Spine specialist near me in Robertsville, MO. Lower back issues can make normal tasks like laying down painful, and disrupt how our bodies function. For athletes, back injuries can keep you from being at the top of their game. For breadwinners, it can prevent you from providing for your Robertsville, MO loved ones. For others, it can keep us from taking walks or other physical activities. Physical therapists who specialize in the spine can help you get back to what you love doing most. By creating a personalized treatment plan, based on techniques proven to work, Axes Physical Therapy can help you live your best life. If you’re ready to at long last be free from debilitating back pain, request an evaluation with an Axes Robertsville, 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, ask your doctor if physical therapy with a spine specialist in Robertsville, MO can be safe and effective for you. You can also come see us 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. The spine is made up of:

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 middle 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 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 perform a variety of movements. They are lined with cartilage and lubricated with synovial fluid, allowing the bones to move without grinding against each other.

Intervertebral Discs

Discs are the flat, round cushions between the vertebrae that act as shock absorbers. Every two vertebrae have one disc between them. Discs have a “gel-like” middle known as the nucleus pulposus, which allows for mobility and absorption, and an outer ring of tough fibers called the annulus fibrosus that surrounds and protects the nucleus pulposus.

Spinal Cord

The spinal cord consists of nerves running up the bones in your spine, from your brain to your tailbone, where the nerves continue into your lower 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 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 attach bones together and holds them in the correct structure. Muscles are attached to bones by tendons, and power their movement.

Living the lifestyle we want depends on all of these parts working together and functioning properly. A variety of conditions 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 Robertsville, MO like Axes’ physical therapists can provide safe and effective relief.

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

The American College of Physicians developed guidelines that include numerous physical therapy treatments for lower back pain and neck pain. Whether you’re living with chronic pain or recently suffered a sports injury, Axes’ Robertsville, MO spine specialists can help you live your best life. Some of the common conditions we provide relief and improved function for in Robertsville, 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 cause severe pain along your neck and back and limit strength. 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 the largest nerve in the body and originates in the lumbar region. Symptoms include debilitating pain, weakness, and numbness down one side of your body.
• 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 numbness or tingling in your hands or feet.
• Spinal Arthritis — Arthritis is swelling or tenderness in one or more joints. It onsets as the cartilage between the joints degrades over time or from repeated trauma. It can also be caused by autoimmune disorders. There are over 100 types of arthritis, most of which can affect the facet joints of 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 Robertsville, MO spine specialists will work with you and your doctor to come up with an evidence-backed treatment plan to get you back to the activities you love and a more comfortable life. While some conditions, like degenerative disc disease, can’t be “cured,” physical therapy can be part of a holistic wellness routine that eases symptoms and returns optimal mobility.

If what’s ailing you requires surgery, we can work with you in your pre- and post-surgical rehab in Robertsville, MO to help get the best results possible.

Benefits of Working With a Physical Therapy Spine Specialist in Robertsville, 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 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 Robertsville, MO physical therapist is proven to limit long-term opioid dependence.

A knowledgeable and experienced spine specialist will be able to determine what is causing your pain or other issues, and build a treatment plan based on your current and previous medical conditions, how old you are, and your desired activity level. Through a variety of exercises and manual therapy, physical therapy can reduce pain, help your spine and nervous system function better, enhance flexibility.

Physical Therapy for Spine Conditions

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

• Hands-On Care — Our Robertsville, MO manual therapists are able to use subtle manipulations 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 helping you build up strength, flexibility, and balance. In addition to decreasing symptoms now, guided exercise 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 beyond frustrating to believe you’ve gotten past an injury, only to aggravate it. We help you understand your injury and how it affects your body’s function, so you can learn how to be active safely. Injury prevention includes:
  • Patient education
  • Lifting education
  • Activity modification
  • Conditioning

Your treatment plan in Robertsville, 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 Robertsville, 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 Robertsville, MO

Don’t let a spine condition prevent you from living the life you want. At Axes, our Robertsville, MO spine specialists strive for 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 knowledgeable Robertsville, MO spine specialist to treat you, schedule an evaluation with Axes Physical Therapy now or find the location nearest you