Canal Stenosis
What is canal stenosis?
Canal stenosis is the narrowing of the spinal canal or the tunnels through which nerves and other structures communicate with that canal. Narrowing of the spinal canal usually occurs due to changes associated with aging that decrease the size of the canal, including the movement of one of the vertebrae out of alignment.
What are the symptoms of canal stenosis?
The symptoms of canal stenosis include pain, numbness or weakness in the legs, groin, hips, buttocks, and lower back. Symptoms usually worsen when walking or standing and might decrease when lying down, sitting, or leaning slightly forward.
How is canal stenosis diagnosed?
The diagnosis of canal stenosis requires a thorough evaluation and a judicious clinical decision making process.
What are the treatment options?
There are many treatment options for stenosis, but new research is uncovering the value of noninvasive therapies to manage this condition. Researchers at Denver’s Regis University reported that two separate courses of physical therapy treatments improved disability and satisfaction scores after only six weeks. “One randomly selected group of patients received thrust and non-thrust spinal manipulation, manual stretching, strengthening and body weight-supported treadmill walking; the second group received lumbar flexion exercises, a progressive treadmill program and sub-therapeutic ultrasound. Both groups showed improvement in pain rating scales, disability scores, satisfaction surveys and treadmill tests; the greatest gain occurred in the first group. At a one year follow-up 62 percent of the first group and 41 percent of the second group still met the threshold for recovery. The study appeared in the October 2006 edition of Spine.” (Source: Advance for Directors in Rehabilitation-March 2007-David Rothbart/Jonathan Bassett)
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