San Jose Walking and Non-Drug Therapy for Back Pain and Stenosis
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 altered posture often attend spinal stenosis. Disc herniations, disc degeneration, and other spinal canal space invaders invite spinal stenosis. At Chiropractic Solutions, San Jose spinal stenosis patients who want to uninvite spinal stenosis have a partner to help.
THE IMPACT OF LUMBAR SPINAL STENOSIS
Research keeps presenting 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 developing 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 portrayed as altering their posture with a forward bend to enhance 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 standing and walking. They concluded that limited walking in symptomatic spinal stenosis patients was more associated with spine loading which rose 7%. (2) Whatever it is linked to, reduced walking ability isn’t beneficial. Someday it will be nice to understand more clearly the part stenosis plays in relationship to slowed walking, but for now, Chiropractic Solutions will continue to encourage 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 reports are issued and with good reason. Reduced ability to walk and quality of life are documented side-effects of lumbar spinal stenosis. These two issues persist as the main factors for back surgery in older sufferers. Sadly, 40% of those who undergo spinal surgery for the lumbar spinal stenosis still report difficulty with walking after surgery. (3) Recommendation 1 of a more recent guideline for the management of 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 reports 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 a beneficial treatment approach. Epidural steroids were not. (5) Conservative, non-surgical care of San Jose spinal stenosis is endorsed by spine researchers and by Chiropractic Solutions.
CONTACT Chiropractic Solutions
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 San Jose chiropractic appointment now for pain relief of spinal stenosis that can get you walking (more) again!
