Your Guide to Understanding Ligament Instability
Ligament instability or ligamentous laxity can cause health issues that affect every area of your life. At Denali Injury and Spine Center, our chiropractor and medical doctor have extensive experience evaluating, diagnosing, and treating ligament instability in Anchorage, AK. Here is our guide to understanding ligament instability, including our chiropractic treatment options and the AMA guidelines for ligament instability.
What Is Ligament Instability?
Ligament instability is a medical condition that is defined by a loss of functional stability between two vertebrae or joints. It occurs due to sudden trauma or injury, or because your ligaments and joints are highly flexible and have a wider range of motion than most people have. Ligament instability can lead to pain, joint and spine stiffness and impairment, and trouble walking. The most common symptoms of ligament instability are fatigue, joint pain and instability, pain, nerve pain, stiffness, and frequent dislocations or misalignments of joints.
What Causes Ligament Instability?
There are a few different medical conditions that can cause or increase your risk of ligament instability. Marfan syndrome is a rare, inherited disease that affects your ligaments and connective tissues. Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is a group of connective tissue disorders that cause stretchy skin and flexible joints. You may also develop ligament instability due to a sudden impact injury like a car accident, fall, or sports injury.
What Are the AMA Guidelines for Ligament Instability?
The American Medical Association (AMA) has developed guidelines to the evaluation and diagnosis of permanent ligament impairment and measuring the level of ligament instability. A chiropractor or medical doctor must take x-rays of your spine in different positions and measure the rotation and translation of the vertebrae. They will use these measurements, combined with a physical examination and evaluation of your symptoms, to determine the percentage of impairment caused by your ligament instability.
How Does a Chiropractor Treat Ligament Instability?
Identifying the extent of your impairment will help us develop a comprehensive treatment program for you and reduce your risk of future problems and complications. We focus on improving stability and function of your spine and joints, increasing range of motion, relieving pain and inflammation, and rehabilitating your spine and joints. We can also determine if you need surgical intervention. We will combine chiropractic therapies to offer you the best chance of full rehabilitation and to reduce your risk of future problems.
Schedule an Evaluation for Ligament Instability
If you suspect that you have ligament instability in Anchorage, AK, our chiropractor and medical doctor at Denali Injury and Spine Center can provide an examination and evaluation with same-day appointments. We will follow AMA guidelines for diagnosing and evaluating ligament impairment and provide you with an official medical diagnosis and percentage of impairment. Call us now to schedule an appointment or request an appointment online.
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Chiropractic
Ligament Instability
