Physical therapists are defined by the APTA as “experts in movement and function” but are very often associated with an environment in which they deal with patients who are ill or have undergone surgery. A large part of a physical therapist’s program is directed at preventing injury, loss of movement, and even surgery.
Symptoms vary depending on the severity of the condition, and may range from no symptoms to severe pain in the back and or legs with variable degrees of numbness, tingling and weakness in the legs.
The lumbar discs are the cushions between each of the lumbar vertebrae in the lower back. These cushions are composed of an inner layer of material called the nucleus pulposus, which is surrounded by fibrous bands called the annulus. The nucleus material is a gelatinous core that has the consistency of “boiled shrimp”. These cushions serve as the shock absorbers in our lower back, just like the shock in your car. These “shock absorbers” experience daily wear and tear.
Peripheral Neuropathy is a disorder caused from damage to the endings of the nerves. Peripheral Neuropathy is a symptom of an underlying disease or process and tested to find out the underlying cause.
Patients frequently report burning, itching, or shooting pain that often begins in the feet and gradually progresses to other areas.
EMG and nerve conduction testing performed by a trained physician can help rule out other causes of these symptoms and help plan for the best course of treatment. Our neurologists are trained in advanced EMG and nerve conduction testing and are well-versed in diagnosing and managing peripheral neuropathy.
Myelopathy is a term used to describe dysfunction of the spinal cord. This most commonly occurs due to degenerative or aging changes in the spine. Degenerative changes occur in everyone to varying degrees. Common radiologic signs of degenerative changes include enlargement of the joints, degradation of the disks and bone, bone spurs and even herniated disks. Most of the time these changes do not cause problems. However, in some patients these changes can cause significant narrowing of the spinal canal resulting in spinal stenosis. Stenosis can cause pressure on the spinal cord and cause spinal cord dysfunction or myelopathy. The spinal cord relays information from the brain to the rest of your body and myelopathy can interrupt these important neurological pathways causing discomfort.
Ulnar Neuropathy is a disorder that involves the ulnar nerve (one of the major nerves in the arm). Ulnar neuropathy is usually due to entrapment in the elbow area, the region of the “funny bone”. This entrapment may be spontaneous and related to thickening of adjacent ligaments and muscles. This can be related to a prior injury in the area with associated scar formation that leads to a delayed onset of the nerve compression often years after the injury “tardy ulnar palsy”.
Most of the time when one is experiencing back pain, they often stay sedentary all day, because they think being active or stretching will hurt them more rather than elevate their back pain. Here are some great stretches and exercises that will increase core strength to support a healthy back.
Our primary goal is to relieve patient’s pain, while taking the least invasive route. Often times when someone has neck pain, it is best to start with Cervical Epidural Steroid Injections. Cervical Epidural Steroid injections are often used to relieve pain in the neck, arms and shoulders. Neck pain is often caused by conditions like herniated discs, bulging discs, arthritis and spinal stenosis, which can cause compression and pinched nerves. To relieve pain associated with these, we often times recommend getting a series of three injections
Cervical Radiculopathy is the clinical description of pain and/or neurological symptoms usually caused by a pinched nerve in the neck. Any condition that compresses or irritates a cervical nerve can cause cervical radiculopathy.
By: Jessica Beggs, DPT (Legacy Neurosurgery Physical Therapist)
There are many sources of neck pain but one that is commonly overlooked is body positioning throughout the work day. According to a recent study by Caio et al. neck pain is a common condition that can cause substantial disability and is of high prevalence with individuals who perform occupational activities while sitting and leaning.1 So, what type of employment fits that job description? This data is not limited to computer programmers and call centers but instead could be applied to nearly all job styles! When sitting, leaning forward is a position that the body sometimes naturally assumes especially when driving a car, using a phone, or working on a computer. It requires countless muscle fibers to recruit and a conscious effort to maintain upright posturing.
