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 Juneau chiropractic patients experiencing spinal stenosis often comment that they walk differently. That makes sense! Aurora Chiropractic Center can help relieve Juneau back pain and the related effects of spinal stenosis.
SPINAL STENOSIS AND ITS SIDE EFFECTS
Older folks are more and more 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 had locomotive syndrome while 24.8% had frailty. After surgery, those with frailty exhibited improvement in locomotion. (1) Yet surgery doesn’t necessarily improve gait for all spinal stenosis patients. Researchers evaluated the sagittal vertical axis using a gait motion analysis with lumbar spinal stenosis patients before and after they underwent decompression surgery to determine if there was any improvement in spatiotemporal – how and how quickly a person moves in terms of stride, pace, width of step, etc. - gait parameters. There was not a variation in sagittal vertical axis, but there was significant difference 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 valuable!
SPINAL STENOSIS AND POSTURE
It’s also beneficial to understand that lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) patient’s static spine and pelvic posture are associated with their symptoms. A new study investigated the subject of how dynamic alignment of the spine and pelvic might be connected to lumbar spinal function in the daily life of LSS sufferers and found that weak hip or trunk extensor muscles, a more pronounced pelvic tilt angle, or smaller spinal flexion during gait gave rise to decreased daily-life lumbar function. (4) Aurora Chiropractic Center seeks to improve the quality of life for our Juneau spinal stenosis patients and values studies that disclose what works. A future study’s goal is to establish a set of data that can help define and/or alter patient treatment plans, indications for surgery, and routines for post-surgery rehab for lumbar spinal stenosis patients who elect to have surgery. These patients come with a unique 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 Aurora Chiropractic Center and outcome.
SPINAL STENOSIS AND BACK PAIN AND SMART SHOES!
To ensure as good an outcome as possible, technology may come to the rescue. 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 variations 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 Aurora Chiropractic Center knows them well! Find out during your exam!
CONTACT Aurora Chiropractic Center
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Nate McKee on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes how The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management helps ease spinal stenosis and improve balance.
Make your Juneau chiropractic appointment today to visit us especially if you find your gait being “off” and/or experience back pain. Spinal stenosis may be the offender, and Aurora Chiropractic Center knows how to deal with it!
