Healthy News January 2023

Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is seemingly one of the most common spinal conditions in the US, impacting more than 500 million people over the age of 62. (1) As researchers grapple with a more systematic approach to managing patient care for lumbar spinal stenosis sufferers, your McHenry chiropractor provides gentle, safe, relieving treatment. The latest effort at a system underscored that each LSS patient is unique in his/her presentation which limits any algorithm to be “soft guidance” as to its treatment plan based initially on the LSS patient's pain relief in spinal flexion. (2) Since spinal stenosis is characteristically a systemic issue, which means that if you have spinal stenosis in the lumbar spine, you likely have it in other spinal areas like the cervical as well, you don’t want to overlook it. Further, lumbar spinal stenosis is not a condition that appears and disappears forever. Its pain can be managed, but it’s often “chronic,” meaning it lasts beyond 90 days. Be hopeful! OrthoIllinois Chiropractic is experienced in ways to help with lumbar spinal stenosis relief. One study reported that flexion distraction significantly reduced pain and disability for lumbar spinal stenosis patients. (3) Another study reported that chronic back pain sufferers with moderate to severe symptoms got better the most with the chiropractic technique, Cox® Technic Flexion Distraction Decompression (CTFDD), compared with physical therapy. (4) Those same patients had significantly lower pain scores over the following 12 months than did patients who did physical therapy. (5) LSS patients also have altered gait and balance issues. (1,6) CTFDD helps these issues, too! A study about the influence of spinal manipulation on balance issues in LSS patients explained that flexion distraction spinal manipulation improved function, symptoms, and performance-based mobility in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. (6) We also look forward to the outcomes of a prospective data collection study in its second year of follow-up with patients who were treated with CTFDD for relief of their LSS-related back pain. Data collection will be done later this year with findings being published in the years to come. McHenry lumbar spinal stenosis is everywhere, and its relieving partner is your McHenry chiropractor here at OrthoIllinois Chiropractic!

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Dean Greenwood on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he explains his relieving treatment of a spinal stenosis patient with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.

As a set of researchers sets up a new study to see if a 6-week education and exercise program will enhanced the walking capacity of lumbar spinal stenosis patients with neurogenic claudication (7), we} recommend walking and exercising now! Lots of research shows that lumbar spinal stenosis responds to exercise. A study showed that individualized exercise (stretches and strengthening) mixed with manual therapy (like out CTFDD spinal manipulation mobilization!) beat medical care and group exercise with more symptom and function improvement as well as walking capacity at 2 months of care. (8) OrthoIllinois Chiropractic has just the program of stretching, strengthening, and manipulation for you! We will set it up together!

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We appreciate all of our patients here at OrthoIllinois Chiropractic and look forward to a healthy 2023! Set your next McHenry chiropractic appointment with OrthoIllinois Chiropractic soon to keep your spine in great shape. See you then!