Lumbar spinal stenosis and its related back pain is common
and troubling for many. 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 Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka, Sitka spinal stenosis sufferers
who want to uninvite spinal stenosis have a partner 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 reduced quality of life. A recent
study reported that lumbar spinal stenosis was an independent risk
factor for developing dementia. Of 1220 patients, 10.8% of the
lumbar spinal stenosis patients had dementia compared 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 related to spine loading which rose 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 inhibited walking, but for now,
Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka 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, many guidelines and articles are issued
and with good reason. Decreased walking ability
and quality of life are recorded side-effects of lumbar spinal
stenosis. These two issues persist as the leading
factors 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 dealing with lumbar spinal stenosis and associated
neurogenic claudication suggested non-surgical multimodal care
to consist of 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 regarding
the outcomes of treatments for lumbar spine stenosis related neurogenic
claudication that reduced walking revealed
that manual therapy and exercise to improve walking distance
together was a beneficial treatment method.
Epidural steroids weren’t. (5) Conservative, non-surgical care
of Sitka spinal stenosis is recommended by spine researchers and by
Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka.
CONTACT Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka
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.
Schedule your Sitka chiropractic
appointment soon for increased walking and decreased
back pain due to Sitka lumbar spinal stenosis!