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 distorted walking patterns! Our Minster chiropractic patients who have spinal stenosis often remark that they walk differently. That makes sense! Minster Chiropractic Center can help relieve Minster back pain and the related effects of spinal stenosis.
SPINAL STENOSIS AND ITS SIDE EFFECTS
Older folks are ever more affected by frailty and locomotive syndrome, and those who also experience lumbar spinal stenosis find themselves even more affected. In a study of such patients who were going to undergo surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis, all but 1 of the 234 patients were documented to have locomotive syndrome while 24.8% had frailty. After surgery, those with frailty displayed improvement in locomotion. (1) Yet surgery doesn’t necessarily enhance gait for all spinal stenosis patients. Researchers measured the sagittal vertical axis using a gait motion analysis with lumbar spinal stenosis patients before and after they had decompression surgery to see if there was any improvement in spatiotemporal – how and how quickly a person walks in terms of stride, pace, width of step, etc. - gait parameters. There wasn’t 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 valuable!
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 recent study delved into the subject of how dynamic alignment of the spine and pelvic might be connected to lumbar spinal function in the everyday life of LSS sufferers and discovered that weak hip or trunk extensor muscles, a more pronounced pelvic tilt angle, or less spinal flexion during gait gave rise to lower daily-life lumbar function. (4) Minster Chiropractic Center seeks to improve the quality of life for our Minster spinal stenosis patients and appreciates studies that divulge what works. A future study’s goal is to establish a set of data that can help define and/or alter 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 concerning 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 Minster Chiropractic Center and outcome.
SPINAL STENOSIS AND BACK PAIN AND SMART SHOES!
To make sure that the clinical outcome is as good an outcome as possible, technology may come to the rescue. With lumbar spinal stenosis come gait abnormalities like decreased gait velocity and asymmetry 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 explored - since smart shoes may not be for everyone - the old fashioned in-clinic tests remain effective, and Minster Chiropractic Center knows them well! Find out during your exam!
CONTACT Minster Chiropractic Center
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Nate McKee on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he illustrates how The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management helps ease spinal stenosis and increase balance.
Schedule your Minster chiropractic appointment today to visit us especially if you find your gait being “off” and/or experience back pain. Spinal stenosis may be the culprit, and Minster Chiropractic Center knows how to rein it in!
