#benefitsofphysicaltherapy

An unfortunate side effect of aging is increasing orthopedic issues. Muscles slowly shrink with age and muscle fibers decrease in size and number. Bones become fragile as their mineral content decreases. Cartilage loses water content, making it more susceptible to stress.

The spine is incredibly important to maintaining your body’s form and function. It is composed of 24 bones (vertebra) that are held together with ligaments and muscles. The spines’ job is protecting your spinal cord while supporting your range of motion. The first seven vertebrae start at the base of the skull and compose the cervical spine. The middle twelve vertebrae are called the thoracic spine. They connect to the ribs. The lumbar spine is the last five vertebrae of the lower back. Some people have a sixth lumbar vertebrae. As the pelvis bears most of the body’s weight and affects most movement, lumbar pain is not uncommon.

Between each vertebra is an intervertebral disc. These soft discs act as shock absorbers, preventing bone from rubbing against each other and causing damage. This support is possible thanks to the high water content of the jelly-like discs.

Despite what its name implies, degenerative disc disease is not a disease but rather the natural changes in your spine due to age. In older individuals, discs retain less water and are therefore less effective at their jobs. The less padding your spine has, the more prone it is to damage. These changes in the discs’ composition can result in osteoarthritis, herniated discs, or spinal stenosis.

For some individuals, the impact of degenerative disc disease is minimal. However, in more serious cases, it can seriously impact a senior’s quality of life.

In more minor cases, physical therapy can benefit a senior experiencing back or neck pain. Meeting with a physical therapist is important to ensure that the correct form is used for each exercise.

In more serious or painful cases, your doctor may recommend meeting with an orthopedic surgeon. A cervical herniated disc and/or cervical degenerative disc disease may be treated with an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF).

Anterior cervical discectomy is common procedure in terms of spinal surgery. Discectomy means “cutting out the disc” and can be performed anywhere along the spine. An anterior cervical discectomy is a surgical procedure to specifically remove a herniated or degenerative disc in the neck. An incision is made in the front (anterior) neck (cervical) area and the damaged disc is removed. This approach allows the neurosurgeon or orthopedic surgeon a clear view of the spine. Additionally, this approach tends to leave the patient with less pain.

Once the disc is removed, an anterior cervical fusion is performed. A bone graft is placed between the two vertebrae in place of the disc. This fuses the two bones together. A metal plate is often used to reinforce the bone graft so it is stable during fusion.