Spinal Manipulation In University Heights

Find Lasting Relief: Spinal Manipulation Therapy in University Heights

If you suffer from chronic back or neck pain, stiffness, reduced mobility, or other orthopedic issues affecting your spine, spinal manipulation at In Motion Physical Therapy offers a proven way to finally address the root cause of your discomfort and get lasting relief. Our highly trained orthopedic therapists use targeted hands-on techniques to improve alignment, enhance joint and tissue function, alleviate nerve pressure, increase range of motion, and help you move with less pain. While medications or injections might mask your symptoms temporarily, they fail to resolve the underlying mechanical dysfunctions behind your pain. That’s why more and more back and neck pain sufferers now turn to non-invasive spinal manipulation
as an effective alternative.

An In-Depth Look at Spinal Manipulation Therapy in University Heights

Spinal manipulation encompasses over 150 different hands-on skills and techniques orthopedic therapists can use to target fixations, restrictions, and misalignments affecting your vertebrae, discs, nerves, ligaments, and muscles. But not all “manipulations” are alike. At In Motion Physical Therapy, our therapists complete extensive specialty training focused on evidenced-based orthopedic manipulation protocols. This enables them to precisely assess your unique spinal dysfunction then select and apply the most appropriate technique(s) to help facilitate correction without exceeding tissue integrity thresholds. In other words, we emphasize precision and control over brute manual force – far different than some other practitioners.

During a typical session, your therapist will first conduct a thorough evaluation to pinpoint the tissues involved and customize the treatment plan accordingly. They’ll likely incorporate gentle rocking motions, ranging techniques, muscle energy stretches, and low velocity joint mobilizations before considering any higher velocity spinal adjustments, which involve a controlled, quick motion within your normal range. Spinal manipulation focuses primarily on restoring optimal vertebral motion, diffusing muscle spasms, and alleviating nerve root irritation or compression syndromes like lumbar radiculopathy. It’s proven exceptionally helpful for common orthopedic conditions like:

• Chronic low back pain
• Degenerative disc disease
• Spinal stenosis
• Spondylosis
• Sciatica
• Facet syndromes
• Muscle strain
• Herniated/bulging discs
• And various other mechanical-based pain

Regardless of which techniques are right for you, the overarching goals remain consistent:

• Alleviate any nerve pressure causing symptoms
• Regain lost range of motion
• Enhance spinal stability through improved alignment
• Restore proper biomechanics and weight distribution
• Accelerate healing by improving circulation
• Resolve muscle spasms
• Prevent future degeneration or recurrence

Understanding exactly how and why spinal manipulation works to relieve back pain helps you better appreciate the immense value it offers. So let’s explore some of the key ways it benefits patients.

The Proven Benefits of Spinal Manipulation Therapy in University Heights

With spinal manipulation, the benefits extend well beyond simple pain relief alone. That’s why it remains the preferred non-surgical treatment approach for so many orthopedic therapists.
Here are some of the top reasons to consider scheduling an initial spinal manipulation session if you’re struggling with back or neck problems:

1. Significant, Lasting Pain Relief
The most obvious benefit is considerable pain relief. Spinal manipulation reduces painful joint compression and irritation on sensory nerves causing inflammation. This leads to improved function with less discomfort.

2. Restored Range of Motion and Flexibility
Fixations, adhesions, and restrictions in connective tissue – along with pain itself – can significantly reduce spinal mobility. Specific manipulation techniques help realign vertebral structures and directly improve connective tissue suppleness.

3. Fewer Orthopedic Surgeries
Given the risks and expenses associated with spinal surgery, most doctors reserve it only as a last resort when conservative care fails. By resolving spinal misalignments and mechanics through non-invasive manipulation, studies show surgery becomes unnecessary in many cases.

4. Positive Impact on Other Areas
Though primarily focused on spinal mechanics and mobilization, many patients report peripheral benefits from therapy as well. These include fewer muscle tension headaches, improved circulation, resolved extremity symptoms from alleviated nerve compression, restored strength through better spine stability, and more.

5. Cost Savings Overall
While out-of-pocket costs per session might exceed copays for medicine or group therapy, spinal manipulation proves much more cost effective long-term. Patients require fewer sessions over time and greatly reduce expenses on pain drugs, injections, imaging studies, and potential surgery.

6. Scientifically-Proven Approach
Medical oversight boards require spinal manipulation practitioners to undergo extensive training in evidence-based protocols and practices. This contrasts some alternative medicine interventions utilizing insufficiently-researched methods. There are over 250 peer-reviewed studies on spinal manipulation listed in the Index Medicus and National Library of Medicine alone. The available data clearly demonstrates its effectiveness and supports ongoing use assisting patients with common orthopedic issues. While no single treatment relieves spinal pain for everyone, current research shows manipulation certainly warrants consideration given its clinical track record and negligible risks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can spinal manipulation actually cause harm or damage?
This remains among the biggest misconceptions about spinal manipulation – that forcefully “cracking the back” somehow weakens it long-term or causes disc damage.
Current research clearly disproves this outdated myth. In reality, no scientifically validated evidence shows spinal manipulation conducted within standard therapeutic parameters causes any disc issues or degenerative changes.

How long does spinal manipulation therapy last? Do the results stick?
While some conventional medical treatments simply alleviate symptoms alone, one advantage of mechanical correction is it addresses the underlying dysfunction so improvements tend to persist. The motto “take two pills and call me if pain returns” reflects how most other pain relief is temporary. Because manipulation improves joint mobility and tissue suppleness, results often continue provided you maintain the progress through appropriate exercise and lifestyle adjustments which we outline.

What’s the success rate for spinal manipulation resolving back and neck problems?
Multiple research studies show spinal manipulation proves successful 70-95% of the time for various common spinal issues – provided a proper diagnosis and treatment approach using precise delivery protocols over appropriate time frames ranging between 30 days and a year as needed.

About The Author

Dr. Joseph Moskowitz, a PT, DPT, guides individuals towards achieving their best selves. At In Motion Physical Therapy in University Heights, Dr. Joseph Moskowitz crafts individualized plans using cutting-edge techniques, empowering patients to overcome limitations and thrive.

Contact Us Today!

If you’re ready to explore how spinal manipulation therapy might help you, your first visit at In Motion Physical Therapy will be with one of our credentialed therapists specializing in neuromusculoskeletal conditions.