Spine Specialist Near Me in Robertsville, MO

Spine specialist near me in Robertsville, MO. Lower back issues can make everyday activities like walking up the stairs difficult, and interrupt how our bodies function. For physically active people, 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 Robertsville, MO family. For others, it can prevent us from taking walks 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 looking for. By creating a custom treatment plan, based on techniques proven to work, Axes Physical Therapy can help you achieve the strength, flexibility, and pain relief your body needs to function, and that you need to live your best life. If you’re prepared to at long last move on from a crippling back condition, schedule an appointment with an Axes Robertsville, MO spine specialist, or call the Axes location nearest you.

Missouri law requires a prescription for physical therapy. If you’re dealing with a recent injury or living with chronic pain, ask your doctor if physical therapy with a spine specialist in Robertsville, MO is right for you. In the meantime, take advantage of one of Axes’ no-obligation injury screenings.

The Human Spine

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

Vertebrae

The spine consists of 33 vertebrae, which are small bones that form the backbone. Every vertebra has a hole in the center to protect 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 cervical, thoracic, and lumbar regions provide mobility; the others are immobile.

Facet Joints

Facet joints connect the vertebrae. They allow your back and neck to extend, bend, twist, and rotate. 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 absorb the stress and shock the body is put under when moving. There is one disc between each vertebra. Discs have a softer middle called the nucleus pulposus, which allows for mobility and absorption, and a tough, circular exterior known as 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 extend into the lower part of your body. The spinal cord is protected by the vertebral column. 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

Surrounding and within the spine are also various types of soft tissue. Ligaments connect bones together and holds them in the correct structure. Muscles are attached to bones by tendons, and power their movement.

A healthy spine needs 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 greatly limit your ability to enjoy the things you love doing. If you’re dealing with back pain or spine issues, a spine specialist in Robertsville, MO like Axes’ physical therapists can provide safe and effective relief.

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

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

• Disc Injuries — Herniated discs and bulging discs can be caused by either acute trauma or general degradation from aging. They can impinge on a nerve which can be painful and limit mobility. Degenerative disc disease occurs as the cushioning in your spine wears away, and can have symptoms similar to herniated discs.
• Sciatica — Sciatica refers to a variety of conditions which irritate the sciatic nerve, which is the largest nerve in the body and begins in the lumbar region. Symptoms include immense 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. 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 degrades over time or from over-exertion. It can also be caused by autoimmune disorders. There are over 100 types of arthritis, 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 is causing your back pain or injury, our Robertsville, 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 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 treatment plan that reduces pain and other symptoms and achieves optimal mobility.

If your spine condition requires surgery, we offer pre- and post-surgical rehab in Robertsville, MO to help your surgery go as well as possible.

What a Physical Therapy Spine Specialist Can Do For Me 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 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 risk of complications. Early intervention by a licensed Robertsville, MO physical therapist has been demonstrated to limit long-term opioid dependence.

A licensed spine specialist will be able to find the root cause of your back problems, and design 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 manipulations, physical therapy can reduce pain, improve the function of your spine by improving strength and flexibility, increase range of motion.

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:

• Manual Therapy — Our Robertsville, MO manual therapists are able to use subtle manipulations and stretches to alleviate symptoms and improve function due to spinal issues. Manual therapy we may incorporate into your treatment plan include:
  • Trigger point 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. Beyond decreasing symptoms now, guided exercise will also help overall function and improve movement health. 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’ve gotten past an injury, only to aggravate it. We’ll educate you about your injury and how it affects your body’s function, 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 Robertsville, MO will be comprehensive and focused on getting you to optimal movement health and helping you stay there. Whatever your treatment plan includes, it will designed based on proven techniques.

Other services we offer in Robertsville, MO include:

• 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
• Hip Replacement Physical Therapy

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

Don’t allow a back injury prevent you from what you love doing most. At Axes, our Robertsville, MO spine specialists strive for 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 Robertsville, MO spine specialist to help you, schedule an evaluation with Axes Physical Therapy today or contact the location closest to you