Spinal Stenosis Affects Gait and Causes Back Pain
Spinal stenosis affects gait…and today they’re working with “smart shoes” to measure gait abnormalities and connected transformed walking patterns! Our Ashburn and Herndon chiropractic patients who have spinal stenosis often remark that they walk differently. That makes sense! Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn can help alleviate Ashburn and Herndon back pain and the related effects of spinal stenosis.
SPINAL STENOSIS AND ITS SIDE EFFECTS
Older folks are affected to a greater extent by frailty and locomotive syndrome, and those who also experience lumbar spinal stenosis find themselves even more bothered by it. In a study of such patients who were going to undergo surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis, all but 1 of the 234 patients had locomotive syndrome while 24.8% were documented to be frail. After surgery, those with frailty displayed improvement in locomotion. (1) Yet surgery doesn’t necessarily improve gait for all spinal stenosis patients. Researchers evaluated the sagittal vertical axis using a gait motion analysis with lumbar spinal stenosis patients before and after they underwent decompression surgery to determine if there was any improvement in spatiotemporal – how and how quickly a person moves in terms of stride, pace, width of step, etc. - gait parameters. There was not a variation in sagittal vertical axis, but there was significant change in spatiotemporal parameters. (2) Cox® flexion distraction treatment delivered significant improvement to lumbar spinal stenosis patients in terms of improved function, symptomatology, and performance-based mobility. Further all of their subjective improvement outcomes were statistically and clinically important. (3) This is good!
SPINAL STENOSIS AND POSTURE
It’s also beneficial to understand that lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) patient’s static spine and pelvic posture are associated with their symptoms. A new study investigated the matter of how dynamic alignment of the spine and pelvic might be related to lumbar spinal function in the daily life of LSS sufferers and discovered that weak hip or trunk extensor muscles, a greater pelvic tilt angle, or less spinal flexion during gait resulted in lower daily-life lumbar function. (4) Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn aims to improve the quality of life for our Ashburn and Herndon spinal stenosis patients and values studies that share what works. A future study’s goal is to ascertain a set of data that can assist in defining and/or altering patient treatment plans, signs for surgery, and routines for post-surgery rehab for lumbar spinal stenosis patients who elect to have surgery. These patients come with a unique set of issues regarding posture, balance, ambulation biomechanics, paraspinal muscle quality and fatigue rates, as well as symptoms. (5) All of these have a role in a lumbar spinal stenosis patient’s care at Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn and outcome.
SPINAL STENOSIS AND BACK PAIN AND SMART SHOES!
To ensure as good an outcome as possible, new tech may come to the rescue. With lumbar spinal stenosis come gait abnormalities like decreased gait speed and unevenness due to muscle weakness and pain in the lower extremities. Don’t worry though. There are “smart shoes” to help. Smart shoes are wearable sensors that can identify gait changes quicker, easier, and cheaper. (6) In the meantime while their accuracy and cost-effectiveness are analyzed - since smart shoes may not be for everyone - the old fashioned in-clinic tests still work, and Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn knows them well! Find out during your examination!
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 how The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management helps ease spinal stenosis and increase balance.
Make your Ashburn and Herndon chiropractic appointment now to visit us especially if you find your gait being “off” and/or have back pain. Spinal stenosis may be the culprit, and Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn knows how to rein it in!
