October 2025 Healthy News from OrthoIllinois Chiropractic: Benefits of Chiropractic and Calm Activity for Back Pain

NEW HOPE FOR COMPLEX SPINE CASES: GENTLE CHIROPRACTIC CARE SHOWS PROMISE FOR TANDEM SPINAL STENOSIS

Here's an encouraging development in McHenry spine care: tandem spinal stenosis—where narrowing occurs at multiple spots along the spine—has traditionally been a delicate condition to treat. Back in 2017, Overley and his team wrote an important systematic review that really emphasized just how complex this condition can be, with patients often experiencing overlying symptoms that make diagnosis and treatment planning especially challenging. (1) And this year, we now have some promising news! McKee, Cox, and Olding just published a case report showing that Cox® Technic Flexion Distraction—a gentle, non-invasive chiropractic approach—successfully managed a patient with tandem spinal stenosis. (2) This is especially exciting because it shows that non-invasive approaches such as gentle chiropractic care may provide meaningful relief for certain patients with this complex condition, possibly helping them sidestep more intensive treatments. It's a terrific reminder that personalized, safe approaches to spine care deserve a place at the treatment table! (Pun intended!)

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Cameron McConville on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson about the effectiveness of The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management for McHenry spinal stenosis.

[[Targetlocation]] CHIROPRACTIC TIP OF THE MONTH: Calm Your Mind, Heal Your Back

If chronic back pain is part of your daily life, exploring calm, intentional movement could support your healing process. Recent research continues to support what many have experienced firsthand—practices like meditation, yoga, tai chi, and qigong can be powerful allies in managing chronic back pain. A 2025 clinical guideline summary by Silva and colleagues underscores the valuable contribution of these integrative and complementary approaches to chronic pain care, while Yang and team's recent investigation into tai chi and qigong for back pain showed promising outcomes, with participants experiencing notable reductions in pain and enhanced overall well-being. (3,4) These gentle practices work by combining mindful movement, breathing techniques, and relaxation to help reduce muscle tension, improve flexibility, and calm the nervous system. Even better, they're easy on the joints and fully adaptable to wherever you are in your fitness journey. This month, why not give one of these gentle practices a try why not explore one of these calming activities? Even a brief 10-15 minutes of gentle, intentional movement each day could provide relief while fostering greater calm and balance in your life.

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