Healthy News November 2021 Relieving Chiropractic Care for Hyperkyphosis Curves & Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
The spine has its own normal curvature or kyphosis. Dr. Butwell knows the spine’s curves quite well! Most Georgetown chiropractic clients do not think about the spine’s curve, its normalcy or its function, until there is an issue caused by a curve that is overly curvy. Consider the thoracic spine, the upper back part of the spine, whose normal kyphosis ranges from 20° to 40 in young spines. For 20 to 40percent of over-60-year-old adults, this kyphosis is documented to grow beyond 40°. This “age-related kyphosis” (aka ‘hyperkyphosis’) affects both men and women but is more frequently described to affect women who experience more functional disorders like reduced back extensor muscle strength and use of erector spinal muscles in addition to 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 successfully experienced the SMM forces similar to younger spines in research studies. (3) Fortunately, research describes manual therapy as effective to decrease and prevent musculoskeletal problems due to thoracic hyperkyphosis. A recent study noted that such therapy adjusted the thoracic kyphosis angle, thoracic extension range of motion, and thoracic extension strength. (4) And an extra: Thoracic mobilization is shown to boost diaphragmatic excursion and respiratory function to manage and prevent respiratory dysfunction in patients with thoracic hyperkyphosis. (5) Your Georgetown chiropractor delivers gentle, effective, distractive thoracic spine manipulation that both relieves hyperkyphosis and is quite comfortable. Once you feel it, you will ask for it again!
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Joseph D’Angiolillo on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he explains gentle distraction treatment of thoracic pain with the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
Lumbar spinal stenosis is a not uncommon diagnosis for older Georgetown adults. It’s related to higher utilization of healthcare services. And surgery isn’t always the answer according to a study that reported how 1 in 3 lumbar spinal stenosis patients had a poor clinical outcome with surgery. Moreover, 36.1% of 529 patients had a poor leg pain outcome while 27.6% had a poor overall outcome. Promisingly, patients who exercised regularly and those who got pre-operative chiropractic or physiotherapy care were less likely to describe a poor overall outcome. (6) A new study reported that getting such non-operative care beginning 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 reported to be effective for patients with lumbar spinal stenosis by easing their pain and bettering their function. (8) Dr. Butwell is ready to get started treating your spinal stenosis today, non-operatively and safely.
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Make your next Georgetown chiropractic appointment today. Spine conditions like thoracic spine hyperkyphosis and lumbar spinal stenosis react well to chiropractic treatment!