Spinal stenosis affects gait…and today they’re working with “smart
shoes” to track gait abnormalities and connected
altered walking patterns! Our Toronto chiropractic
patients who have spinal stenosis often remark
that they walk differently. That makes sense! Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre can help alleviate
Toronto back pain and the related effects of spinal stenosis.
SPINAL STENOSIS AND ITS SIDE EFFECTS
Older folks are ever
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 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 improve 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 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 variation in sagittal vertical axis, but there
was significant difference 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 important. (3) This is valuable!
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 new study explored the subject of how dynamic alignment
of the spine and pelvic might be linked to lumbar spinal
function in the everyday life of LSS sufferers and discovered
that weak hip or trunk extensor muscles, a greater pelvic
tilt angle, or less spinal flexion during gait gave rise to decreased daily-life lumbar function. (4) Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre
seeks to enhance the quality of life for our Toronto
spinal stenosis patients and appreciates studies that share
what works. A future study’s goal is to form
a set of data that can help define and/or
alter patient treatment plans, indications 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 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 Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre and outcome.
SPINAL STENOSIS AND BACK PAIN AND SMART SHOES!
To make sure that the clinical outcome is as
good an outcome as possible, 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. Don’t
worry though. There are “smart shoes” to help. Smart shoes are wearable sensors that can identify
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 Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre knows them well!
Find out during your exam!
CONTACT Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre
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 relieve spinal stenosis and increase
balance.
Make your Toronto chiropractic
appointment soon to visit us especially if you find
your gait being “off” and/or have back pain. Spinal stenosis
may be the offender, and Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre knows how to deal with it!