Physiotherapy for Spine Guide

A spinal injury, regardless of how small has the ability to impact the rest of your life as well as the lives of your loved ones. This may occur in a number of ways which can include the inability to perform everyday functions such as your ability to work, driving a car or even something as small as walking.

Medical Expert offers access to free physiotherapy which can greatly help in alleviating the pain and anxiety of a spinal injury through simple exercises to help improve your mobility and get back your independence.

Spine and spinal injury

The spine is also known as the backbone or vertebral column and any injury, big or small, to any part of the spinal cord or the nerve endings is referred to as a spinal injury. A spinal injury can cause permanent damage to your body by causing loss of strength, sensation and bodily function in almost any part of the body.

Causes of Spinal injury

Some of the causes of spinal injury are as follows

  • Accidents
  • Falls
  • Assault
  • Adventure or sport injuries
  • Bone diseases

Types of Spinal cord injuries

Spinal injuries may generally occur through a sudden trauma or blow to the spinal cord. There are 2 kinds of injury to the spinal cord:

1. An incomplete spinal cord injury, during which the cord is partially damaged and there are some functions in the body of the injured person.
2. The other kind of spinal injury is the complete spinal injury, where the entire spinal cord is damaged causing complete loss of function to the injured person.

High Risk Group for Spinal Injuries

A spinal cord injury is generally caused by an accident; however there are certain factors that increase the risk of getting a spinal injury. Some of these factors which may increase your risk include:

  • Age- elderly people over the age of 65
  • Sex- males are more prone to spinal injuries
  • Adventure and sports enthusiast
  • Persons with bone degenerative diseases

Symptoms of spinal injury

There are no definite symptoms for a spinal injury. The general symptoms for any kind of spinal cord injuries are loss of movement, sensation, and bladder control, pain in the spinal cord and difficulty breathing. Some of the more serious symptoms are extreme back pain, paralysis of the body, incoordination, numbness and difficulty balancing.

Diagnosing Spinal Injuries

The most important aspect to consider for a spinal cord injury is to minimize the movement of the spinal cord to arrest any further damage and prevent long term effects to bodily functions.
A specialist doctor does the initial physical examination to assess the exact location of the injury and the severity or extent of injury. The doctor also considers the general signs that are presented and will usually proceed to further tests, such as X-rays, CT scans and MRIs.

Physiotherapy for Spine Injuries

The initial critical treatment is to stabilize the injured person, this minimises the long term effects. The different treatments available for spinal injuries depend on the severity of the damage to the injured person. Some of the most common methods of treatment for spinal injuries include:

  • Medications for pain management
  • A collar and traction to reduce the mobility of the body,
  • Surgery in severe cases
  • Physiotherapy to help improve mobility and assist with pain management.

Importance of Physiotherapy for Spine injury

Physiotherapy for spine injuries is the next step in rehabilitating the spinal cord, this helps in recovery, as paralysis and reduced mobility is the most common result of a spinal injury. The physiotherapy aftercare will usually focus on strengthening your bone joints and muscles.

Contact Medical Professional To Inquire About Free Spinal Physiotherapy

You may qualify for free medical treatment within our prescribed service areas if you are struggling with a spinal injury. We offer various private medical services which includes physiotherapy.

Physiotherapy for spine injury can assist greatly in reducing the rehabilitation time and help you alleviate the pain and improve your confidence to get back to a more normal life. Our dedicated staff will be able to advise you on your best available options.