May 2024 Healthy News from Dr. Butwell Exercise and Relieving Treatment for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
OUR ‘THING’ – Relieving Care for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Back Pain
Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is a degenerative spinal condition affecting many older adults. Lumbar spinal stenosis is a huge problem for quite a few people – 103 million globally – and 11% of older US adults which increases with age. (1) LSS comes and goes and may get worse over time. Standing and walking may worsen it while sitting and bending forward usually improve it. (3) Typical medical recommendations are to adapt activity, analgesia, physical therapy, and even epidural steroid injections whose long-term benefits are being questioned. (2) Non-medical suggestions are reported as effective, especially a mixed approach of manual therapy and exercise for older patients with lumbar spinal stenosis and associated neurogenic claudication that was described as effective while epidural steroids were not. (3) A new study emphasized the desire of chiropractors to work together with healthcare professionals to improve integrated, coordinated patient centered healthcare for older adults, the number of whom is increasing rapidly. (4) We chiropractors offer multiple non-drug, non-surgical methods via personalized treatment plans – spinal manipulation and mobilization (with Cox® Technic), nutrition, exercise, bracing, etc. - to ease spine-related pain like back pain due to LSS. Spine pain relief is our ‘thing’!
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Keith Bartley on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson about the use of The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management treatment protocols to successfully handle lumbar spinal stenosis.
TIP OF THE MONTH: Do Your ‘Thing’: Exercise for LSS
Of three non-surgical interventions for lumbar spinal stenosis – medical care, group exercise, and manual therapy/individualized exercise – manual therapy/individualized exercise produced greater short-term symptom and physical function improvement as well as better walking capacity. (5) That is our approach! We utilize the gentle Cox® Technic manual therapy with exercise. A recent analysis of exercise for lumbar spinal stenosis and related neurogenic claudication found that most exercise recommendations included supervised, lumbar flexion, and aerobic fitness exercises (like cycling in a flexed posture) while stretches, strengthening exercises, and psychologically informed means were part of the most effective treatment plans. (6) If lumbar spinal stenosis is your ‘thing,’ exercise will most likely be your ‘thing,’ too! We determine together which ones are best for you.
Thank you for being part of our chiropractic healthcare family.
We look forward to seeing you soon!
CONTACT Dr. Butwell
Dr. Butwell is privileged to be your Georgetown chiropractor and values your sharing your chiropractic experience with family and friends, especially those who have lumbar spinal stenosis! See you soon!