Spinal Stenosis Affects Gait and Causes Back Pain
Spinal stenosis affects gait…and today they’re working with “smart shoes” to track gait abnormalities and associated transformed walking patterns! Our Montreal chiropractic patients experiencing spinal stenosis often remark that they walk differently. That makes sense! Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic can help relieve Montreal back pain and the related effects of spinal stenosis.
SPINAL STENOSIS AND ITS SIDE EFFECTS
Older folks are affected to a greater extent by frailty and locomotive syndrome, and those who also experience lumbar spinal stenosis find themselves even more bothered by it. In a study of such patients who were going to undergo 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 showed improvement in locomotion. (1) Yet surgery doesn’t necessarily enhance gait for all spinal stenosis patients. Researchers evaluated 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 variation 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 enhanced function, symptomatology, and performance-based mobility. Further all of their subjective improvement outcomes were statistically and clinically meaningful. (3) This is valuable!
SPINAL STENOSIS AND POSTURE
It’s also beneficial to know that lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) patient’s static spine and pelvic posture are linked to their symptoms. A new study explored the matter of how dynamic alignment of the spine and pelvic might be linked to lumbar spinal function in the daily life of LSS sufferers and found 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) Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic aims to enhance the quality of life for our Montreal spinal stenosis patients and appreciates studies that disclose what works. A future study’s goal is to form a set of data that can help define and/or alter 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 unique set of issues regarding posture, balance, ambulation biomechanics, paraspinal muscle quality and fatigue rates, as well as symptoms. (5) All of these contribute to a lumbar spinal stenosis patient’s care at Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic and outcome.
SPINAL STENOSIS AND BACK PAIN AND SMART SHOES!
To ensure as good an outcome as viable, new tech may be of help. With lumbar spinal stenosis come gait abnormalities like decreased 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 variations 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 remain effective, and Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic knows them well! Find out during your examination!
CONTACT Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic
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 Montreal chiropractic appointment today to visit us especially if you find your gait being “off” and/or experience back pain. Spinal stenosis may be the offender, and Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic knows how to deal with it!
