Your spinal nerves traverse the spinal column through an opening in the vertebral segments known as the foramen. If this bony opening begins to narrow, it can impinge passing nerves, causing a range of symptoms like pain, numbness and muscle weakness. When this bony opening narrows, it’s called spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis can be brought on by decades of stress or acute trauma, so while its causes can vary, treatment of the condition is largely similar. In today’s blog, we take a look at some of the activities you should do to help reduce or alleviate your spinal stenosis symptoms, and which motions you’ll want to avoid so that you don’t make symptoms worse.
Do – Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is considered one of the best things you can do for your spine if you are suffering from spinal stenosis. PT helps to strengthen supportive structures, which allows the spine to move more comfortably without causing symptoms. This strengthening also helps the body prevent further compression, and can help to free nerves that are being compressed by foraminal narrowing.
Don’t – Continue With Poor Posture
Oftentimes spinal stenosis symptoms can be brought on by putting abnormal strain on our spine when we have bad posture habits. If you’re regularly hunched over at your desk or leaning back in your seat when you’re driving, your cervical and lumbar portions of your spine will be under increased stress. Over time, this stress can lead to disc herniation and a narrowing of the foraminal space. Perform regular posture checks and strive to have improved posture throughout the day.
Do – Work Towards An Ideal Weight
The more you weigh, the more stress your spine has to help disperse, which can lead to shifting spinal discs or aggravate a spinal stenosis condition. Losing weight can help to reduce stress on the spine and mitigate symptoms of spinal stenosis, but you should strive for gradual weight loss with steady dietary improvements and increased exercise. Sudden dietary changes can have negative effects on the body and these changes are less likely to become permanent, so slow and steady diet improvements and activity increases can help to control stenosis symptoms.
Don’t – Rely On Passive Treatments
Opioids and rest can help symptoms fade in the short term, but they won’t do anything to treat the underlying issue, so it’s important to also pursue some active treatments that target the narrowing foraminal space. Painkillers can certainly be part of a comprehensive care plan, like if they make it easier for you to complete your physical therapy exercises, but they are not a good stand-alone option. The most effective forms of treatment are rarely the easiest, so push yourself to pursue active treatments instead of relying on rest and opioids.
Do – Consult With A Specialist
Finally, if you want some individualized advice for treating your stenosis condition, reach out to a specialist like Dr. Todd Jackman. Spinal stenosis can develop in different levels of the spine, which would affect which PT exercises are ideal, so it pays to know exactly what you’re dealing with. For a specific diagnosis and an individualized care plan from a physician who can see your condition in person, connect with Dr. Jackman or a spine specialist in your area. To set up an appointment, give his team a call today at (651) 430-3800.
