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 transformed walking patterns! Our McHenry chiropractic patients dealing with spinal stenosis often remark that they walk differently. That makes sense! OrthoIllinois Chiropractic can help relieve McHenry 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 affected. In a study of such patients who were heading for surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis, all but 1 of the 234 patients had locomotive syndrome while 24.8% had frailty. Post-surgically, those with frailty displayed improvement in locomotion. (1) Yet surgery does not necessarily enhance 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 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 wasn’t a change in sagittal vertical axis, but there was significant change in spatiotemporal parameters. (2) Cox® flexion distraction treatment produced 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 meaningful. (3) This is good!
SPINAL STENOSIS AND POSTURE
It’s also beneficial to understand that lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) patient’s static spine and pelvic posture are related to their symptoms. A new study investigated the subject of how dynamic alignment of the spine and pelvic might be related to lumbar spinal function in the daily 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 decreased daily-life lumbar function. (4) OrthoIllinois Chiropractic aims to enhance the quality of life for our McHenry spinal stenosis patients and values studies that divulge 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, signs for surgery, and routines for post-surgery rehab for lumbar spinal stenosis patients who choose to have surgery. These patients come with a distinctive set of issues regarding 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 OrthoIllinois Chiropractic and outcome.
SPINAL STENOSIS AND BACK PAIN AND SMART SHOES!
To ensure as good an outcome as viable, 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. 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 explored - since smart shoes might not be for everyone - the old fashioned in-clinic tests still work, and OrthoIllinois Chiropractic knows them well! Find out during your examination!
CONTACT OrthoIllinois Chiropractic
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 ease spinal stenosis and increase balance.
Make your McHenry chiropractic appointment now to see us especially if you find your gait being “off” and/or have back pain. Spinal stenosis may be the culprit, and OrthoIllinois Chiropractic knows how to deal with it!
