Physical Therapy for Degenerative Disc Disease

The discs between the spinal bones or vertebrae cushion the bones and facilitate movement of the joints. Generally, degenerative disc disease comes with age. The discs become dehydrated and flatten or collapse. This usually happens in the cervical spine or the neck and the lumbar spine or the lower back.

Degenerative disc disease can also be the result of trauma to the lower spine such as in a car accident or a sporting accident. For this type of injury and for degenerative disc disease, a chiropractor near LAX will not only adjust the spine for relief of pain, but he’ll add physical therapy to help heal the injury and prevent further damage.

Physical Therapy Near LAX
Physical therapy’s aim is to restore normal function and range of motion to injured joints and to prevent further injury. To that end, physical therapists near LAX are trained in the body’s musculature and bones and the relationship between them. After the chiropractor adjusts the bones back into place, the physical therapist will give you exercises to strengthen the muscles supporting the spine.

When the muscles are not pulled tight to protect the spinal bones, they’re relaxed and no pain is present. Range of motion is restored as is full function. Physical therapy for auto accidents near LAX might employ cold and heat in order to reduce swelling and ease the pain. Electrical impulses called TENS for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation are sometimes used to relax muscles and alleviate pain.

Core Stabilization
The core muscles or abdominals stretch from one side of the spine around the front to the other side of the spine and from the lower ribs to the hip bones. It’s this core that helps you rise from a prone or seated position, bend from side to side or down to touch the toes, and stretch above your head to reach something.

Since the core muscles support the spine, it makes sense that it should be strong. The best physical therapists near me not only work on the degenerative disc disease, they also give you exercises to strengthen the core. The treatment usually lasts six to nine weeks. At the end of it, complete range of motion should be restored as well as full function.

What Are Some Of These Exercises?
If the disc in question is in the lower back, the physical therapist might give you targeted exercises. One would be a bridge. You’ll lie on your back, arms to the side, and legs straight out. You’ll lift your behind until the body is on its shoulders and the feet. The body will look like a straight line. You’ll repeat this three times for a count of five.

Another would be a plank. You’ll lie on the floor face down with the arms beside you in the pushup position. You’ll lift the body with the arms and the legs straight out behind you. The legs will be together and the back won’t dip toward the floor. You’ll look like a straight line. You’ll repeat this three times for a count of five.