Spinal stenosis affects gait…and today they’re working with “smart
shoes” to measure gait abnormalities and associated
transformed walking patterns! Our Fernandina Beach chiropractic
patients dealing with spinal stenosis often remark
that they walk differently. That makes sense! Amelia Chiropractic Clinic can help alleviate
Fernandina Beach back pain and the related effects of spinal stenosis.
SPINAL STENOSIS AND ITS SIDE EFFECTS
Older folks are increasingly affected by frailty and locomotive syndrome, and those
who also have lumbar spinal stenosis find themselves even more
bothered by it. 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% were
documented to be frail. Post-surgically,
those with frailty showed improvement in locomotion.
(1) Yet surgery does not necessarily improve 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 had decompression surgery to determine
if there was any improvement in spatiotemporal – how and how quickly a person walks
in terms of stride, pace, width of step, etc. - gait parameters. There was
not a change in sagittal vertical axis, but there
was significant difference 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 good to understand
that lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) patient’s static spine and pelvic posture are
related to their symptoms. A recent study investigated the matter 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 greater pelvic
tilt angle, or smaller spinal flexion during gait resulted
in lower daily-life lumbar function. (4) Amelia Chiropractic Clinic
aims to improve the quality of life for our Fernandina Beach
spinal stenosis patients and appreciates studies that disclose
what works. A future study’s goal is to ascertain
a set of data that can assist in defining and/or altering patient treatment plans, indications for surgery, and routines
for post-surgery rehab for lumbar spinal stenosis patients who elect
to have surgery. These patients come with a unique set of
issues concerning posture, balance, ambulation biomechanics,
paraspinal muscle quality and fatigue rates, as well as symptoms. (5) All of
these play a role in a lumbar spinal stenosis
patient’s care at Amelia 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. Don’t
worry though. There are “smart shoes” to help. Smart shoes are wearable sensors that can sense
gait changes quicker, easier, and cheaper. (6) In the meantime while their accuracy and cost-effectiveness are analyzed - since
smart shoes may not be for everyone - the old fashioned in-clinic
tests remain effective, and Amelia Chiropractic Clinic knows them well!
Find out during your exam!
CONTACT Amelia Chiropractic Clinic
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Nate McKee on The
Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he
describes how The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain
Management helps relieve spinal stenosis and increase
balance.
Schedule your Fernandina Beach chiropractic
appointment soon to see us especially if you find
your gait being “off” and/or have back pain. Spinal stenosis
may be the culprit, and Amelia Chiropractic Clinic knows how to deal with it!