Healthy News January 2023

Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is reportedly one of the most common spinal conditions in the US, affecting over 500 million people over the age of 62. (1) As researchers struggle to propose a more systematic approach to managing patient care for lumbar spinal stenosis patients, your Manchester chiropractor provides gentle, safe, pain easing treatment. The most recent effort at a system underscored that each LSS patient presents a bit differently which limits any algorithm to be “soft guidance” as to its treatment plan based primarily on the LSS patient's pain relief in spinal flexion. (2) Since spinal stenosis is characteristically a systemic issue, meaning if you have spinal stenosis in the lumbar spine, you likely have it in other spinal areas like the cervical too, you do not want to overlook it. Further, lumbar spinal stenosis isn’t a condition that appears and disappears forever. Its pain can be contained, but it’s often “chronic,” meaning it lasts beyond 90 days. Have hope! Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries is experienced in ways to help with lumbar spinal stenosis relief. One study reported that flexion distraction significantly decreased pain and disability for lumbar spinal stenosis patients. (3) Another study stated that chronic back pain sufferers with moderate to severe symptoms got better the most with the chiropractic technique, Cox® Technic Flexion Distraction Decompression (CTFDD), compared with physical therapy. (4) Those same patients experienced significantly lower pain scores over the following year than did patients who did physical therapy. (5) LSS patients also have altered gait and balance issues. (1,6) CTFDD helps these issues, too! A study regarding the influence of spinal manipulation on balance issues in LSS patients explained that flexion distraction spinal manipulation improved function, symptoms, and performance-based mobility in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. (6) We also anticipate the outcomes of a prospective data collection study in its second year of follow-up with patients who underwent CTFDD for relief of their LSS-associated back pain. Data collection will be done later this year with findings being published in the years to come. Manchester lumbar spinal stenosis is everywhere, and its relieving partner is your Manchester chiropractor here at Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries!

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Dean Greenwood on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes his alleviating treatment of a spinal stenosis patient with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.

As a group of researchers begins a new study to evaluate if a 6-week education and exercise program will enhanced the walking capacity of lumbar spinal stenosis patients with neurogenic claudication (7), Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries recommends