Spine Specialist Near Me in Webster Groves, MO

Spine specialist near me in Webster Groves, MO. Spinal conditions can make normal activities like bending over excruciating, and interrupt how our bodies function. For athletes, back injuries can keep you from being at peak performance. For workers, it can impede your ability to provide for your Webster Groves, MO family. For others, it can keep us from going on bike ride 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. Through safe and proven exercises and treatment plans, Axes Physical Therapy can help you achieve the movement health and pain relief your body needs to be at its best, and that you need to live your best life. If you’re prepared to finally move on from debilitating back pain, schedule an evaluation with an Axes Webster Groves, MO spine specialist, or reach out to the Axes location most convenient for you.

Under Missouri Revised Statute §334.506, a doctor needs to prescribe physical therapy. If you’re recovering from a back or neck injury, or are living with chronic pain, consult with your physician about if physical therapy with a spine specialist in Webster Groves, MO is what you need. In the meantime, visit one of our offices for one of Axes’ free injury screenings.

The Anatomy of the Spine

The spine supports both our physical bodies, and how our bodies communicate. It starts at the base of your brain and ends at 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. The spinal cord and nerves run through holes in the middle of each vertebra. 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 provide mobility; 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 extend, bend, twist, and rotate. Between the joints and bones are cartilage and synovial fluid, allowing the bones to move without grinding against each other.

Intervertebral Discs

Discs are the circular cushions between the vertebrae that absorb the stress and shock the body incurs when moving. Every two vertebrae have one disc between them. Discs have a “gel-like” middle called the nucleus pulposus, which allows for mobility and absorption, 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 a long, thin, tubular collection of nerves, extending from the brain to your lumbar region, where the nerves go into the lower part of your body. The spinal cord is protected by the vertebrae and other tissue. The nerves branch out to other parts of the body through holes in the vertebrae called the neural foramen. The spinal cord carries messages between our brain and other parts of our body.

Soft Tissue

Surrounding and within the spine are also muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Ligaments connect vertebrae, hold them together, and give them structure. Muscles are connected 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. A variety of 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 Webster Groves, MO like Axes’ physical therapists can provide safe and effective relief.

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

The American College of Physicians developed guidelines that include numerous physical therapy treatments for people living with lower back pain and neck pain. Whether you’re living with chronic pain or recently suffered a sports injury, Axes’ Webster Groves, MO spine specialists can help get you feeling great again. Some of the common conditions we treat in Webster Groves, MO include:

• 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 cause severe pain along your neck and back and limit strength. Degenerative disc disease occurs as the cushioning in your spine wears away, and can have symptoms similar to herniated discs.
• Sciatica — Sciatica is an umbrella term for irritation of the sciatic nerve, which is our bodies’ longest nerves and originates near your tailbone. It can lead to debilitating pain, weakness, and tingling from your buttocks all the way down to your foot.
• Spinal Stenosis — Stenosis occurs when the vertebral column is too small. Symptoms include pain, balance problems, and numbness or tingling in the extremities.
• Spinal Arthritis — Arthritis is the inflammation of the facet joints. It occurs as the cartilage between the joints degrades over time or from repeated trauma. Obesity, autoimmune disorders, and other conditions can also lead to arthritis. There are over 100 types of arthritis, most of which are possible in the spine.
• Axial Back Pain — Also known as nonspecific back pain, this refers to pain that doesn’t have a known, recognizable 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 is causing your back pain or injury, our Webster Groves, MO spine specialists will work in tandem with you and your doctor to come up with a treatment plan, based on proven strategies, and aimed at getting 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 is an effective part of a comprehensive wellness routine that eases symptoms and returns optimal mobility.

If your spine condition requires surgery, we offer pre- and post-surgical rehab in Webster Groves, MO to help you be healthy for surgery and recovery quickly and safely.

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

Physical therapy is becoming an increasingly popular non-surgical option for a variety of issues affecting our musculoskeletal system. According to research published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, physical therapy can get the same relief and results for some back pain as surgery, without the same recovery time or risk of adverse side-effects. Early intervention by a licensed Webster Groves, 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 medical history, how old you are, and your desired activity level. Through numerous different exercises and techniques, physical therapy can limit symptoms, help your spine and nervous system function better, increase range of motion.

Physical Therapy for Spine Issues

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

• Manual Therapy — Our Webster Groves, MO manual therapists are experts at using light pressures and stretches to decrease back pain due to spinal issues. Hand-on services 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 managing symptoms now, guided exercise will allow you to maintain a well-functioning spine while going to work or doing the activities you love most. Effective exercises for spine conditions 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 suffer another injury in the future. 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 Webster Groves, MO will be holistic and focused on getting you to optimal function and keeping you there. Whatever your treatment plan includes, it will be based on peer-reviewed studies that those techniques have been proven to work.

Other services we offer in Webster Groves, MO include:

• Shoulder Pain Treatment
• Back Pain Treatment
• Neck Pain Treatment
• Physical Therapy Clinic
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment
• Sciatica Treatment
• Sports Medicine
• Hand Pain Physical Therapy
• Foot & Ankle Pain Treatment
• Hip Pain Treatment

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

Don’t allow a back injury keep you from living the life you want. At Axes, our Webster Groves, MO spine specialists are dedicated to positive patient outcomes. Your pain may not have been your choice, but you can choose to do something about it. For a licensed and qualified Webster Groves, MO spine specialist to treat you, request an evaluation with Axes Physical Therapy today or find the location closest to you