Lumbar spinal stenosis and its related back pain is common
and troubling for many. Dementia, neurogenic
claudication, reduced walking distance, poor balance, lessened
quality of life, and modified posture often attend spinal
stenosis. Disc herniations, disc degeneration, and other spinal canal space invaders
invite spinal stenosis. At Layden Chiropractic, Plainville spinal stenosis sufferers
who want to uninvite spinal stenosis have someone by their side.
THE IMPACT OF LUMBAR SPINAL STENOSIS
Research keeps presenting lumbar
spinal stenosis as being linked to issues like dementia
development, walking capacity, and lower quality of life. A recent
study stated that lumbar spinal stenosis was an independent risk
factor for acquiring dementia. Of 1220 patients, 10.8% of the
lumbar spinal stenosis patients experienced dementia compared to only 4.4% of the control group members. (1) Older
adults with lumbar spinal stenosis were described as altering
their posture with a forward bend to improve their ability and
tolerance for walking. Researchers who looked into this
phenomenon found that this posture was more of a forward shift of the pelvis while
walking and standing. They concluded
that limited walking in symptomatic spinal stenosis patients was more associated
with spine loading which increased 7%. (2) Whatever
it is related to, decreased walking ability isn’t beneficial. Someday it will be nice to more fully
understand the role of stenosis
in relationship to inhibited walking, but for now,
Layden Chiropractic will keep encouraging walking for
spinal stenosis patients, slow and steady and distance increased
as able.
THE TREATMENT OF LUMBAR SPINAL STENOSIS: Walk
Since spinal stenosis is so common a condition in older
folks, multiple guidelines and reports are issued
and with good reason. Decreased ability to walk
and quality of life are documented side-effects of lumbar spinal
stenosis. These two issues persist as the main
indicators for back surgery in older sufferers.
Sadly, 40% of those who undergo spinal surgery for the lumbar spinal stenosis still
report difficulty with walking after
surgery. (3) Recommendation 1 of a newer guideline for dealing with lumbar spinal stenosis and associated
neurogenic claudication encouraged non-surgical multimodal care
to include non-drug therapy with education, advice, lifestyle
changes, home exercise, manual therapy, acupuncture (trial), rehab, and therapy.
(4) An update to the 2013 Cochrane review of research studies on
the outcomes of treatments for lumbar spine stenosis related neurogenic
claudication that reduced the ability to walk revealed
that manual therapy and exercise to improve walking distance
together was a beneficial treatment approach.
Epidural steroids were not. (5) Conservative, non-surgical care
of Plainville spinal stenosis is endorsed by spine researchers and by
Layden Chiropractic.
CONTACT Layden Chiropractic
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Nate McKee on The
Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he
describes the relief with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal
Pain Management for a patient with lumbar spinal stenosis and balance issues. Relief with Cox® Technic is described.
Make your Plainville chiropractic
appointment soon for pain relief of spinal stenosis that can
get you walking (more) again!