Spinal Stenosis Affects Gait and Causes Back Pain
Spinal stenosis affects gait…and today they’re working with “smart shoes” to track gait irregularities and associated altered walking patterns! Our Murfreesboro chiropractic patients dealing with spinal stenosis often remark that they walk differently. That makes sense! Most Chiropractic Clinic can help alleviate Murfreesboro back pain and the related effects of spinal stenosis.
SPINAL STENOSIS AND ITS SIDE EFFECTS
Older folks are increasingly affected by frailty and locomotive syndrome, and those who also experience lumbar spinal stenosis find themselves even more bothered by it. 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 does not necessarily improve 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 was not a change 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 good!
SPINAL STENOSIS AND POSTURE
It’s also good to know that lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) patient’s static spine and pelvic posture are linked to their symptoms. A new study explored 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 greater pelvic tilt angle, or less spinal flexion during gait gave rise to decreased daily-life lumbar function. (4) Most Chiropractic Clinic aims to enhance the quality of life for our Murfreesboro spinal stenosis patients and appreciates studies that disclose what works. A future study’s goal is to form a set of data that can assist in defining and/or altering patient treatment plans, indications for surgery, and practices for post-surgery rehab for lumbar spinal stenosis patients who elect to have surgery. These patients come with a distinctive set of issues concerning posture, balance, ambulation biomechanics, paraspinal muscle quality and fatigue rates, as well as symptoms. (5) All of these contribute to a lumbar spinal stenosis patient’s care at Most Chiropractic Clinic and outcome.
SPINAL STENOSIS AND BACK PAIN AND SMART SHOES!
To ensure as good an outcome as possible, new tech may be of help. With lumbar spinal stenosis come gait abnormalities like reduced 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 sense 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 still work, and Most Chiropractic Clinic knows them well! Find out during your examination!
CONTACT Most Chiropractic Clinic
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 relieve spinal stenosis and improve balance.
Make your Murfreesboro chiropractic appointment soon to visit us especially if you find your gait being “off” and/or have back pain. Spinal stenosis may be the offender, and Most Chiropractic Clinic knows how to rein it in!
