Lumbar spinal stenosis and its related back pain is common
and distressing for its sufferers. Dementia, neurogenic
claudication, decreased walking distance, poor balance, decreased
quality of life, and altered posture often attend spinal
stenosis. Disc herniations, disc degeneration, and other spinal canal space intruders
invite spinal stenosis. At Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries, Manchester spinal stenosis patients
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 conditions like dementia
development, walking capacity, and reduced quality of life. A recent
study stated that lumbar spinal stenosis was an independent risk
factor for developing 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 portrayed 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 during
standing and walking. They deduced
that limited walking in symptomatic spinal stenosis patients was more associated
with spine loading which rose 7%. (2) Whatever
it is linked to, decreased walking ability isn’t good. Someday it will be nice to understand more clearly the part stenosis plays
in relationship to slowed walking, but for now,
Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries will keep encouraging walking for
spinal stenosis patients, slow and steady and distance furthered
as tolerated.
THE TREATMENT OF LUMBAR SPINAL STENOSIS: Walk
Since spinal stenosis is so common a condition in older
folks, multiple guidelines and articles are issued
and with good reason. Decreased walking ability
and quality of life are documented side-effects of lumbar spinal
stenosis. These 2 issues persist as the leading
gauges for back surgery in older patients.
Sadly, 40% of those who undergo spinal surgery for the lumbar spinal stenosis still
state difficulty with walking after
surgery. (3) Recommendation 1 of a more recent guideline for handling lumbar spinal stenosis and related
neurogenic claudication suggested 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 walking revealed
that manual therapy and exercise to increase walking distance
together was a beneficial treatment approach.
Epidural steroids were not. (5) Conservative, non-surgical care
of Manchester spinal stenosis is recommended by spine researchers and by
Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries.
CONTACT Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Nate McKee on The
Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he
illustrates 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 Manchester chiropractic
appointment soon for pain relief of spinal stenosis that can
get you walking (more) again!