5 TERRIBLE Pieces of Advice for Spinal Stenosis

HT Physio – Over-Fifties Specialist Physio14 minutes read

Spinal stenosis, a condition primarily affecting older individuals, involves age-related changes leading to narrowed nerve spaces in the lower spine, causing pain that worsens with standing and walking. Patients should avoid harmful advice, such as certain exercises and chiropractic manipulation, that can exacerbate symptoms, instead focusing on managing pain through proper diagnosis, rest, and targeted exercises to improve overall quality of life.

Insights

  • Ignoring harmful advice, such as performing the Cobra exercise or undergoing chiropractic manipulation, is crucial for spinal stenosis sufferers to prevent worsening their condition.
  • Spinal stenosis, primarily affecting individuals over 60, involves age-related changes in the lower spine, leading to narrowed nerve spaces, causing lower back pain that worsens with standing and walking, ultimately impacting leg pain.

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Recent questions

  • What is spinal stenosis?

    Narrowing of nerve spaces in the lower spine.

  • How is spinal stenosis diagnosed?

    Through X-rays, MRI scans, and clinical examinations.

  • What worsens spinal stenosis symptoms?

    Standing upright and walking.

  • Is chiropractic manipulation safe for spinal stenosis?

    Risky due to reduced nerve spaces and arthritis.

  • Can exercises help with spinal stenosis?

    Provide temporary relief, improve mobility, and strengthen muscles.

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Summary

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Managing Spinal Stenosis: Avoid Harmful Advice

  • Spinal stenosis sufferers should ignore common but harmful advice that can worsen their condition.
  • True spinal stenosis involves age-related wear and tear changes in the lower spine, leading to narrowed nerve spaces.
  • Aging causes disc thinning, facet joint arthritis, bone thickening, and nerve space reduction, potentially resulting in spinal stenosis.
  • Spinal stenosis primarily affects individuals over 60, causing lower back pain that worsens with standing and walking, leading to leg pain.
  • Diagnosis of spinal stenosis typically involves X-rays and MRI scans, but clinical examinations can also provide insights.
  • Standing upright exacerbates spinal stenosis symptoms due to increased compression on the spine and nerves.
  • Walking through spinal stenosis pain is not advisable; taking breaks to sit and decompress can help manage symptoms.
  • Using the Cobra exercise, common for sciatica relief, is detrimental for spinal stenosis sufferers as it worsens nerve compression.
  • Chiropractic manipulation is risky for spinal stenosis patients due to the already reduced nerve spaces and arthritis in the spine.
  • While exercises won't cure spinal stenosis, they can provide temporary relief, improve mobility, and strengthen muscles, enhancing overall quality of life.
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