Healthy News November 2021 Relieving Chiropractic Care for Hyperkyphosis Curves & Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
The spine has its own standard curvature or kyphosis. Minster Chiropractic Center knows the spine’s curves quite well! Most Minster chiropractic clients do not think about the curvature of the spine, its normalcy or its function, until there is an issue caused by a curve that is overly curvy. Take for example the thoracic spine, the upper back part of the spine. Its normal kyphosis ranges from 20° to 40 in young spines. For 20% to 40% of over-60-year-olds, this kyphosis is documented to grow beyond 40°. This “age-related kyphosis” (aka ‘hyperkyphosis’) affects both men and women but is more frequently seen in women who experience more functional disorders like decreased back extensor muscle strength and ability to use erector spinal muscles plus other poor health issues. (1,2) Spinal manipulation and mobilization of the thoracic spine are common approaches chiropractors use to treat musculoskeletal issues in older adults with issues like hyperkyphosis. Older spines effectively experienced the SMM forces similar to younger spines in research studies. (3) Fortunately, manual therapy has been researched and described as effective to decrease and avert musculoskeletal problems due to thoracic hyperkyphosis. A recent study noted that such therapy improved the thoracic kyphosis angle, thoracic extension range of motion, and thoracic extension strength. (4) And a bonus: Thoracic mobilization is shown to boost diaphragmatic excursion and respiratory function to control and avert respiratory dysfunction in patients with thoracic hyperkyphosis. (5) Your Minster chiropractor delivers gentle, effective, distractive thoracic spine manipulation that both relieves hyperkyphosis and is quite comfortable. Once you feel it, you will want more!
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Joseph D’Angiolillo on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he explains gentle distraction care of upper spine pain with the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
Lumbar spinal stenosis is a not uncommon diagnosis for older Minster adults. It is associated with a higher utilization of healthcare services. And surgery isn’t always the answer according to a study reporting that 1 in 3 lumbar spinal stenosis patients experienced a poor clinical outcome after surgery. Moreover, 36.1% of 529 patients had a poor leg pain outcome while 27.6% had a poor overall outcome. Encouragingly, patients who exercised on a regular basis and those who received pre-operative chiropractic or physiotherapy care were not as likely to describe a poor overall outcome. (6) A recent study reported that getting such non-operative care starting within the first 30 days of diagnosis reduced the use of riskier and more costly health care services in the following year. Fewer than 2% of Medicare beneficiaries got such care in a timely fashion. (7) Lastly, manual manipulation for 8 weeks was shown to be effective for patients with lumbar spinal stenosis by decreasing their pain and improving their function. (8) Minster Chiropractic Center is ready to get started treating your spinal stenosis today, non-operatively and safely.
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Schedule your next Minster chiropractic appointment today. Spinal conditions like thoracic spine hyperkyphosis and lumbar spinal stenosis react well to chiropractic treatment!