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 distorted walking patterns! Our Nashua chiropractic patients who have spinal stenosis often comment that they walk differently. That makes sense! Moriarty Chiropractic can help relieve Nashua 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 affected. In a study of such patients who were heading for surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis, all but 1 of the 234 patients were documented to have locomotive syndrome while 24.8% were documented to be frail. Post-surgically, those with frailty displayed 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 beneficial to understand that lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) patient’s static spine and pelvic posture are related to their symptoms.  A recent study explored the question of how dynamic alignment of the spine and pelvic might be connected 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 gave rise to reduced daily-life lumbar function. (4) Moriarty Chiropractic aims to enhance the quality of life for our Nashua spinal stenosis patients and values studies that share what works. A future study’s goal is to establish a set of data that can help define and/or alter patient treatment plans, indications for surgery, and practices 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 contribute to a lumbar spinal stenosis patient’s care at Moriarty Chiropractic and outcome.

SPINAL STENOSIS AND BACK PAIN AND SMART SHOES!

To ensure as good an outcome as viable, new tech 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. Don’t worry though. There are “smart shoes” to help. Smart shoes are wearable sensors that can identify gait variations 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 Moriarty Chiropractic knows them well! Find out during your exam!

CONTACT Moriarty Chiropractic

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 improve balance.

Schedule your Nashua chiropractic appointment soon to visit us especially if you find your gait being “off” and/or have back pain. Spinal stenosis may be the culprit, and Moriarty Chiropractic knows how to deal with it!