Ashburn and Herndon 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, reduced walking distance, poor balance, reduced quality of life, and altered posture often attend spinal stenosis. Disc herniations, disc degeneration, and other spinal canal space intruders invite spinal stenosis. At Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn, Ashburn and Herndon spinal stenosis sufferers 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 reduced quality of life. A recent study reported 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 as opposed to just 4.4% of the control group members. (1) Older adults with lumbar spinal stenosis were described as changing their posture with a forward bend to enhance 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 rose 7%. (2) Whatever it is linked to, reduced walking ability isn’t beneficial. Someday it will be nice to understand more clearly the role of stenosis in relationship to inhibited walking, but for now, Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn will keep encouraging 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, many guidelines and reports are issued and with good reason. Decreased walking ability and quality of life are documented side-effects of lumbar spinal stenosis. These 2 issues remain the main indicators for back surgery in older patients. Sadly, 40% of those who undergo spinal surgery for the lumbar spinal stenosis still state walking issues after surgery. (3) Recommendation 1 of a more recent guideline for handling 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 reduced the ability to walk found that manual therapy and exercise to increase walking distance together was an effective treatment approach. Epidural steroids weren’t. (5) Conservative, non-surgical care of Ashburn and Herndon 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 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 Ashburn and Herndon chiropractic appointment soon for pain relief of spinal stenosis that can get you walking (more) again!