Lumbar spinal stenosis and its related back pain is widespread
and troubling for many. Dementia, neurogenic
claudication, decreased 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 New Roads Chiropractic Center, New Roads spinal stenosis patients
who want to uninvite spinal stenosis have someone by their side.
THE IMPACT OF LUMBAR SPINAL STENOSIS
Research continues to present 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 as
opposed to just 4.4% of the control group members. (1) Older
adults with lumbar spinal stenosis were described as modifying
their posture with a forward bend to improve their ability and
tolerance for walking. Researchers who studied this
phenomenon found that this posture was more of a forward shift of the pelvis while
walking and standing. They deduced
that limited walking in symptomatic spinal stenosis patients was more associated
with spine loading which increased 7%. (2) Whatever
it is related to, reduced walking ability is
not good. Someday it will be nice to more fully
understand the part stenosis plays
in relationship to slowed walking, but for now,
New Roads Chiropractic Center 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. Reduced ability to walk
and quality of life are recorded side-effects of lumbar spinal
stenosis. These 2 issues remain the main
factors for back surgery in older sufferers.
Sadly, 40% of those who undergo spinal surgery for the lumbar spinal stenosis still
state walking issues after
surgery. (3) Recommendation 1 of a newer guideline for dealing with lumbar spinal stenosis and related
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 reports regarding
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 New Roads spinal stenosis is recommended by spine researchers and by
New Roads Chiropractic Center.
CONTACT New Roads Chiropractic Center
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.
Schedule your New Roads chiropractic
appointment today for pain relief of spinal stenosis that can
get you walking (more) again!