Spine Specialist Near Me in Scotsdale, MO

Spine specialist near me in Scotsdale, MO. Lower back issues can make basic activities like bending over difficult, and keep us from our best possible movement health. For people who play sports, back problems can keep you from being at peak performance. For workers, it can hinder your ability to put food on the table for your Scotsdale, MO loved ones. For others, it can prevent us from going on bike ride or other physical activities. Physical therapists who specialize in the spine can help you get back to what you love doing most. By developing a personalized treatment plan, based on techniques proven to work, Axes Physical Therapy can help you achieve the lifestyle you desire. If you’re ready to finally move on from a crippling back condition, request an appointment with an Axes Scotsdale, MO spine specialist, or call the Axes location nearest you.

According 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 Scotsdale, MO is right for you. You can also come see us for one of Axes’ no-obligation injury screenings.

The Human Spine

The spine supports both our physical bodies, and how our bodies communicate. It starts at the base of your skull and ends at your tailbone. The spine is made up of:

Vertebrae

The spine consists of 33 vertebrae, 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 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 first 3 regions allow us to move; the others are immobile.

Facet Joints

Facet joints connect the vertebrae. 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 softer center called 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 go into the lower part of your body. The spinal cord is protected by the vertebral column. The nerves extend to other parts of the body through openings in the vertebrae known as the neural foramen. The spinal cord allows our brain to tell our bodies to move, and our brains to receive sensory information from our body.

Soft Tissue

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

Living the lifestyle we want depends on all of these parts working together and functioning properly. Numerous different conditions can make the spine damaged or unhealthy, which can keep you from the things you love doing. When that happens, a spine specialist in Scotsdale, MO like Axes’ physical therapists can get you back to the lifestyle you desire.

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

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

• Disc Injuries — Herniated discs and bulging discs can be due to either acute trauma or wear and tear as we get older. 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 our bodies’ longest nerves and begins in the lower spine. It can cause to immense 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 your hands or feet.
• Spinal Arthritis — Arthritis describes several different types of joint disease. It occurs as the cushioning between the joints degrades 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 are possible in the spine.
• Axial Back Pain — Also known as nonspecific back pain, this refers to pain isn’t brought on by a clear, diagnosable cause. Axial 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 is causing your back pain or injury, our Scotsdale, MO spine specialists will work with you and your doctor 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 stenosis, won’t ever fully go away, physical therapy is an effective part of a holistic treatment plan that eases symptoms and returns optimal mobility.

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

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

More and more people are turning to physical therapy as a non-invasive treatment plan 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 Scotsdale, MO physical therapist has been demonstrated to reduce long-term opioid dependence.

A licensed spine specialist will be able to determine what is causing your pain or other issues, and design a treatment plan based on your injures, your age, and your desired activity level. Through a variety of exercises and techniques, physical therapy can limit symptoms, help your spine and nervous system function better, boost flexibility.

Physical Therapy for Spine Problems

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

• Manual Therapy — Our Scotsdale, MO manual therapists are able to use light pressures and stretches to alleviate symptoms and improve function caused by muscle or joint dysfunction. Hand-on services we may use to treat 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. Beyond decreasing pain now, certain exercises 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 — There’s nothing worse than believing you’re moving on from an injury, only to suffer another injury in the future. We help you understand your injury and how it affects your body’s function, 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 Scotsdale, MO will be comprehensive and focused on getting you to your best possible movement health and helping you stay there. However we recommend treating your spine condition or back pain, it will be based on time-tested techniques.

Other services we offer in Scotsdale, 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

Call Axes For Your Spine Specialist Near Me in Scotsdale, MO

Don’t let a spine condition prevent you from living the life you want. At Axes, our Scotsdale, MO spine specialists are dedicated to positive patient outcomes. You didn’t decide to live with back pain, but you can choose to do something about it. For a professional and qualified Scotsdale, MO spine specialist to help you, request an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy now or find the location most convenient for you