Lumbar spinal stenosis and its related back pain is widespread
and troubling for its sufferers. Dementia, neurogenic
claudication, decreased walking distance, poor balance, reduced
quality of life, and altered posture often accompany spinal
stenosis. Disc herniations, disc degeneration, and other spinal canal space intruders
invite spinal stenosis. At Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn, Ashburn spinal stenosis patients
who want to uninvite spinal stenosis have a partner by their side.
THE IMPACT OF LUMBAR SPINAL STENOSIS
Research keeps presenting lumbar
spinal stenosis as being linked to issues 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 experienced dementia as
opposed 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
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 related to, decreased walking ability is
not beneficial. Someday it will be nice to more fully
understand the role of stenosis
in relationship to decreased walking, but for now,
Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn will continue to encourage walking for
spinal stenosis patients, slow and steady and distance increased
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 published
and with good reason. Decreased ability to walk
and quality of life are recorded side-effects of lumbar spinal
stenosis. These two issues remain the leading
gauges for back surgery in older sufferers.
Sadly, 40% of those who undergo spinal surgery for the lumbar spinal stenosis still
report walking issues post-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 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 on
the outcomes of treatments for lumbar spine stenosis related neurogenic
claudication that reduced the ability to walk revealed
that manual therapy and exercise to increase walking distance
together was a beneficial treatment method.
Epidural steroids were not. (5) Conservative, non-surgical care
of Ashburn spinal stenosis is recommended by spine researchers and by
Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn.
CONTACT Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn
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 Ashburn chiropractic
appointment soon for improved walking and decreased
back pain due to Ashburn lumbar spinal stenosis!