Spinal injuries and conditions that affect spinal structures can cause pain and reduce mobility.
Spinal Injuries & Conditions Treatment
At Vitalis Physiotherapy, we specialise in spinal injuries and conditions to:
What are spinal injuries and conditions?
Spinal injuries and conditions vary from person to person and are caused by damage to spinal structures. This often causes the affected area to become inflamed or irritated, resulting in a myriad of painful and somewhat debilitating symptoms.
There are three main spinal regions – cervical, thoracic and lumbar. Spinal structures include vertebrae, discs, joints, nerves, ligaments and muscle. Spinal injuries and conditions to these areas can mimic each other with similar symptoms, or occur independently of each other.
Types of Spinal Injuries and Conditions
The ways these structures may be affected and other conditions they may influence include:
- Spine (all regions) – fractured vertebrae, spinal kyphosis, facet joint pain, Stenosis of C/T/L, Spondylosis of C/T/L
- Differential diagnoses (cause/affect/mimic symptoms) – nerve root compression, prolapsed/herniated discs, Radiculopathy of C/T/L, Spondylolisthesis of C/L, costovertebral joint disorders, sacroiliac joint syndrome, osteoarthritis, postural neck/back pain
- Spine (all regions) – prolapsed/herniated discs, fractured vertebrae, spinal kyphosis, facet joint pain, Stenosis of C/T/L, Spondylosis of C/T/L, nerve root compression
- Differential diagnoses (cause/affect/mimic symptoms) – Radiculopathy of C/T/L, Spondylolisthesis of C/L, osteoarthritis, postural neck/back pain
- Cervical (C) spine (neck) – wry neck, whiplash
- Thoracic (T) spine (upper/mid-back) – costovertebral joint disorders, costochondritis, T4 syndrome
- Lumbar (L) spine (lower back) – sacroiliac joint syndrome
- Spine (all regions) – facet joint pain, Stenosis of C/T/L, Spondylosis of
- C/T/L, prolapsed/herniated discs
- Differential diagnoses (cause/affect/mimic symptoms) – nerve root compression, prolapsed/herniated discs, Radiculopathy of C/T/L, Spondylolisthesis of C/L, costovertebral joint disorders, sacroiliac joint syndrome, osteoarthritis, postural neck/back pain
- Cervical (C) spine (neck) – wry neck, whiplash
- Thoracic (T) spine (upper/mid-back) – costovertebral joint disorders, costochondritis, T4 syndrome, thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS)
- Lumbar (L) spine (lower back) – piriformis muscle syndrome
- Spine (all regions) – Radiculopathy of C/T/L, Spondylosis of C/T/L, Stenosis of
- C/T/L, facet joint pain, prolapsed/herniated discs
- Differential diagnoses (cause/affect/mimic symptoms) – facet joint pain, Radiculopathy of C/T/L, Spondylolisthesis of C/L, fractured vertebrae, postural neck/back pain
- Cervical (C) spine (neck) – wry neck, whiplash
- Thoracic (T) spine (upper/mid-back) – costovertebral joint disorders, costochondritis, T4 syndrome, thoracic facet joint pain
- Lumbar (L) spine (lower back) – iliolumbar ligament sprain
- Spine (all regions) – Radiculopathy of C/T/L, Spondylosis of C/T/L
- Differential diagnoses (cause/affect/mimic symptoms) – facet joint pain, Radiculopathy of C/T/L, Spondylolisthesis of C/L, fractured vertebrae, postural neck/back pain
- Cervical (C) spine (neck) – wry neck, whiplash
- Thoracic (T) spine (upper/mid-back) – thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS)
- Lumbar (L) spine (lower back) – iliolumbar ligament sprain
- Spine (all regions) – spinal muscular spasms, Stenosis of C/T/L, postural neck/back pain
- Differential diagnoses (cause/affect/mimic symptoms) – facet joint pain, Radiculopathy of C/T/L, Spondylolisthesis of C/L, postural neck/back pain
What can cause spinal injuries and conditions?
As the type, location and severity of spinal injuries and conditions vary, as do the cause and symptoms. However, there are general risk factors which may leave you susceptible to developing or worsening a spinal condition. Age and/or gender can also influence the likelihood of diagnosis.
Some risk factors can include:
- Poor sitting/standing posture
- Prolonged periods of laborious activity
- Repetitive or sudden rotating/bending/pushing/pulling movements
- Traumatic injuries – e.g., motor vehicle accidents, falls, etc.
- Muscular spasms
- Lifestyle choices – e.g., minimal activity, obesity, etc.
- Differential or pre-existing diagnoses of musculoskeletal conditions
What are the symptoms?
General symptoms of spinal injuries and conditions can include:
- Pain in both the affected and/or surrounding area of injury
- Muscle