New Research from OrthoIllinois Chiropractic: Exercise Helps Spinal Stenosis Patients, Regardless of Severity
If you've been told you have spinal stenosis or a disc protrusion, it's natural to feel wary of exercise — won't moving the wrong way make things worse? Two new research papers published in this year offer genuine peace of mind, and they're worth bringing up with your treating chiropractor at OrthoIllinois Chiropractic as you plan your recovery.
YES, YOU CAN EXERCISE WITH SEVERE STENOSIS
A large retrospective study of 1,806 patients published in Physical Therapy looked at people with mild, moderate, and severe lumbar spinal stenosis who completed an exercise-based rehabilitation program, and the results push back on a long-held assumption. (1) Investigators reported that patients improved significantly in pain, function, strength, disability, and medication use — and researchers found no meaningful difference in how well people responded to exercise based on how severe their stenosis looked on imaging, with over 11% of participants able to stop using narcotic pain medication altogether. In plain terms: a severe-looking scan doesn't mean exercise is off the table.
DISC PROTRUSION: STABILIZATION EXERCISE ADDS MEASURABLE BENEFIT
A randomized controlled trial published in Health Science Reports followed 60 patients with a one-sided lumbar disc protrusion for an eight-week period, comparing standard physiotherapy on its own to standard physiotherapy paired with supervised stabilization exercises targeting the deep trunk muscles. While both groups got better across pain, disability, and range of motion, the stabilization group's improvement was significantly larger — and ultrasound imaging showed stronger performance in the deep abdominal muscles and multifidus that help support the low back. Just as promising: across the eight-week trial of guided sessions, no participant experienced a decline in symptoms or a exercise-related injury, only some mild, short-lived muscle soreness early on. (2)
LET’S TALK AT YOUR NEXT APPOINTMENT
These findings don't mean every exercise is right for every spine, and the correct exercise plan is shaped by your particular imaging, symptoms, and goals — so before starting or changing an exercise routine, talk with your chiropractor at OrthoIllinois Chiropractic in McHenry, who can help you approach relief with confidence rather than fear.
Check out this podcast with Dr. Kurt Olding on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes the advantage of The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management for spinal stenosis.
