Lumbar spinal stenosis and its related back pain is common
and distressing for its sufferers. Dementia, neurogenic
claudication, decreased walking distance, poor balance, reduced
quality of life, and altered posture often attend spinal
stenosis. Disc herniations, disc degeneration, and other spinal canal space invaders
invite spinal stenosis. At Pensacola Spinal Rehab Center, Pensacola spinal stenosis patients
who want to uninvite spinal stenosis have a partner to
help.
THE IMPACT OF LUMBAR SPINAL STENOSIS
Research continues to present lumbar
spinal stenosis as being linked to conditions like dementia
development, walking capacity, and reduced quality of life. A new
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 had 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 deduced
that limited walking in symptomatic spinal stenosis patients was more related to spine loading which rose 7%. (2) Whatever
it is linked to, decreased walking ability isn’t good. Someday it will be nice to more fully
understand the part stenosis plays
in relationship to slowed walking, but for now,
Pensacola Spinal Rehab 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, many guidelines and articles are issued
and with good reason. Decreased ability to walk
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
report difficulty with walking post-surgery. (3) Recommendation 1 of a more recent guideline for dealing with lumbar spinal stenosis and associated
neurogenic claudication encouraged 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 on
the outcomes of treatments for lumbar spine stenosis related neurogenic
claudication that decreased walking found
that manual therapy and exercise to improve walking distance
together was an effective treatment method.
Epidural steroids were not. (5) Conservative, non-surgical care
of Pensacola spinal stenosis is recommended by spine researchers and by
Pensacola Spinal Rehab Center.
CONTACT Pensacola Spinal Rehab 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.
Make your Pensacola chiropractic
appointment today for pain relief of spinal stenosis that can
get you walking (more) again!