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 connected transformed walking patterns! Our Fort Wayne chiropractic patients dealing with spinal stenosis often comment that they walk differently. That makes sense! Cox Chiropractic Medicine Inc can help alleviate Fort Wayne 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 have lumbar spinal stenosis find themselves even more bothered by it. In a study of such patients who were heading for surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis, all but 1 of the 234 patients were documented to have locomotive syndrome while 24.8% were documented to be frail. Post-surgically, those with frailty showed improvement in locomotion. (1) Yet surgery doesn’t 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 underwent decompression surgery to see 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 wasn’t 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 beneficial!
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 delved into the matter of how dynamic alignment of the spine and pelvic might be linked to lumbar spinal function in the everyday life of LSS sufferers and discovered that weak hip or trunk extensor muscles, a more pronounced pelvic tilt angle, or smaller spinal flexion during gait resulted in lower daily-life lumbar function. (4) Cox Chiropractic Medicine Inc aims to improve the quality of life for our Fort Wayne spinal stenosis patients and values studies that share what works. An up-coming study’s goal is to establish a set of data that can assist in defining and/or altering patient treatment plans, signs 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 have a role in a lumbar spinal stenosis patient’s care at Cox Chiropractic Medicine Inc and outcome.
SPINAL STENOSIS AND BACK PAIN AND SMART SHOES!
To make sure that the clinical outcome is 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. Have no fear! “Smart shoes” to the rescue! Smart shoes are wearable sensors that can detect gait changes quicker, easier, and cheaper. (6) In the meantime while their accuracy and cost-effectiveness are analyzed - since smart shoes may not be for everyone - the old fashioned in-clinic tests remain effective, and Cox Chiropractic Medicine Inc knows them well! Find out during your exam!
CONTACT Cox Chiropractic Medicine Inc
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 relieve spinal stenosis and increase balance.
Make your Fort Wayne chiropractic appointment now to visit us especially if you find your gait being “off” and/or have back pain. Spinal stenosis may be the offender, and Cox Chiropractic Medicine Inc knows how to deal with it!
