Minster Walking and Non-Drug Therapy for Back Pain and Stenosis
Lumbar spinal stenosis and its related back pain is widespread and distressing for many. Dementia, neurogenic claudication, reduced walking distance, poor balance, decreased quality of life, and altered posture often attend spinal stenosis. Disc herniations, disc degeneration, and other spinal canal space invaders invite spinal stenosis. At Minster Chiropractic Center, Minster spinal stenosis sufferers who want to uninvite spinal stenosis have someone to help.
THE IMPACT OF LUMBAR SPINAL STENOSIS
Research continues to present lumbar spinal stenosis as being linked to conditions like dementia development, walking capacity, and reduced quality of life. A new 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 experienced dementia as opposed to just 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 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 walking and standing. They deduced that limited walking in symptomatic spinal stenosis patients was more associated with spine loading which increased 7%. (2) Whatever it is linked to, reduced walking ability isn’t beneficial. Someday it will be nice to more fully understand the part stenosis plays in relationship to inhibited walking, but for now, Minster Chiropractic Center will keep encouraging walking for spinal stenosis patients, slow and steady and distance increased as able.
THE TREATMENT OF LUMBAR SPINAL STENOSIS: Walk
Since spinal stenosis is so common a condition in older folks, multiple 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 remain the leading gauges for back surgery in older patients. Sadly, 40% of those who undergo spinal surgery for the lumbar spinal stenosis still state walking issues post-surgery. (3) Recommendation 1 of a more recent guideline for the management of lumbar spinal stenosis and related 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 regarding 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 an effective treatment approach. Epidural steroids weren’t. (5) Conservative, non-surgical care of Minster spinal stenosis is endorsed by spine researchers and by Minster Chiropractic Center.
CONTACT Minster Chiropractic Center
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.
Make your Minster chiropractic appointment now for increased walking and decreased back pain due to Minster lumbar spinal stenosis!
