La Grande Walking and Non-Drug Therapy for Back Pain and Stenosis
Lumbar spinal stenosis and its related back pain is widespread and troubling for many. Dementia, neurogenic claudication, reduced walking distance, poor balance, lessened quality of life, and modified posture often accompany spinal stenosis. Disc herniations, disc degeneration, and other spinal canal space intruders invite spinal stenosis. At Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC, La Grande spinal stenosis sufferers who want to uninvite spinal stenosis have a partner to help.
THE IMPACT OF LUMBAR SPINAL STENOSIS
Research keeps presenting lumbar spinal stenosis as being linked to issues 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 experienced dementia compared to just 4.4% of the control group members. (1) Older adults with lumbar spinal stenosis were described as modifying their posture with a forward bend to improve their ability and tolerance for walking. Researchers who looked into 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 rose 7%. (2) Whatever it is linked to, reduced walking ability isn’t beneficial. Someday it will be nice to more fully understand the role of stenosis in relationship to slowed walking, but for now, Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC will keep encouraging walking for spinal stenosis patients, slow and steady and distance increased as tolerated.
THE TREATMENT OF LUMBAR SPINAL STENOSIS: Walk
Since spinal stenosis is so common a condition in older folks, many guidelines and reports are issued and with good reason. Decreased ability to walk and quality of life are documented side-effects of lumbar spinal stenosis. These 2 issues persist as the main 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 after surgery. (3) Recommendation 1 of a more recent guideline for dealing with 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 the ability to walk found that manual therapy and exercise to increase walking distance together was an effective treatment method. Epidural steroids were not. (5) Conservative, non-surgical care of La Grande spinal stenosis is recommended by spine researchers and by Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC.
CONTACT Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC
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 La Grande chiropractic appointment today for increased walking and reduced back pain due to La Grande lumbar spinal stenosis!