Lumbar spinal stenosis and its related back pain is widespread
and troubling for many. Dementia, neurogenic
claudication, decreased walking distance, poor balance, decreased
quality of life, and altered posture often accompany spinal
stenosis. Disc herniations, disc degeneration, and other spinal canal space invaders
invite spinal stenosis. At Hollstrom & Associates Inc, Largo spinal stenosis patients
who want to uninvite spinal stenosis have someone by their side.
THE IMPACT OF LUMBAR SPINAL STENOSIS
Research keeps presenting lumbar
spinal stenosis as being linked to conditions like dementia
development, walking capacity, and lower quality of life. A new
study reported 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 modifying
their posture with a forward bend to improve 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
standing and walking. They deduced
that limited walking in symptomatic spinal stenosis patients was more related to spine loading which rose 7%. (2) Whatever
it is related to, reduced walking ability is
not good. Someday it will be nice to understand more clearly the role of stenosis
in relationship to decreased walking, but for now,
Hollstrom & Associates Inc 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, multiple guidelines and reports are published
and with good reason. Reduced walking ability
and quality of life are recorded side-effects of lumbar spinal
stenosis. These two issues remain the leading
indicators for back surgery in older sufferers.
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 newer guideline for dealing with 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 increase walking distance
together was a beneficial treatment method.
Epidural steroids were not. (5) Conservative, non-surgical care
of Largo spinal stenosis is recommended by spine researchers and by
Hollstrom & Associates Inc.
CONTACT Hollstrom & Associates Inc
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 Largo chiropractic
appointment now for increased walking and decreased
back pain due to Largo lumbar spinal stenosis!