Back pain is one of the most common reasons people seek out physical therapy, and spinal stenosis is often a hidden culprit.
If you’ve been struggling with persistent discomfort, numbness, or tingling in your back, neck, or limbs, it might be more than just general wear and tear.
Spinal stenosis is a condition that causes narrowing within the spinal canal, leading to pressure on the nerves that run through it.
It can affect any of the vertebrae of your spine and have different symptoms depending on the location of the pressure.
The good news is that physical therapy can be a great help if you’re experiencing any back or neck pain.
At the Mobility Health Physical Therapy clinic, we specialize in helping people manage spinal stenosis symptoms through evidence-based, non-invasive treatments designed to improve your function and quality of life.
In particular, we offer physical therapy for:
And that’s key, because spinal stenosis affects all of the above.
So, in this article, we’ll be exploring more about spinal stenosis and how a physical therapist can help.
Let’s take a closer look.
What Is Spinal Stenosis?
Spinal stenosis is a condition that is characterized by the narrowing within the vertebrae of your spine.
It can happen anywhere along your spinal cord, even in your back or neck.
The result of this narrowing is either too much pressure on your spinal cord, or on your nerve roots within your spinal cord.
It’s this pressure on your nerve roots or spine that causes uncomfortable symptoms.
What Causes Spinal Stenosis?
The most common cause of spinal stenosis is age.
Age can affect your spine a few different ways.
Traditionally, time flattens the disks of your spine that provide space in between each set of vertebrae.
RELATED ARTICLE: Healthy Aging: Geriatric Physical Therapy For A Fulfilling Life
The flattening of your disks reduces the space in your spine leading to pressure on your nerves, or spinal stenosis.
As a result, physical therapy will sometimes address spinal stenosis.
Another common example of this is osteoarthritis, where the cartilage between your joints starts to break down.
This causes your bones to grind against each other.
This causes pain and injury, which can stimulate your body to grow a bone spur.
A bone spur is an extra growth of bone your body grows in order to protect the injured area.
This can cause extra pressure on your nerves, which is spinal stenosis.
Finally, you can also get the condition by spinal cord injuries, spinal diseases like Paget disease, spinal tumors, and occasionally by the thickening of certain ligaments in your spine.
Basically, anything that reduces the space within your spine and puts pressure on your nerves can cause spinal stenosis.
What Are The Symptoms Of Spinal Stenosis?
The most common symptoms of spinal stenosis are pain, tingling, and numbness or weakness in your arms, shoulders, legs, or trunk.
You may occasionally have difficulty with bowel movements or bladder function (ex: urinary incontinence) depending on the location of your spinal stenosis.
If your nerves are compressed in your neck, also known as cervical spinal stenosis, the symptoms can manifest in your arms or legs.
You might not actually have any neck pain.
If the pain is in your lower back, you’re more likely to experience symptoms in your legs and not your arms.
You might also notice that your symptoms vary depending on your posture.
For example, sitting may improve your symptoms, while walking may worsen them.
RELATED ARTICLE: How Physical Therapy Can Help With Poor Posture
What Tests Are Done To Diagnose Spinal Stenosis?
The symptoms of spinal stenosis overlap with many other age-related conditions.
This is why your physical therapist will run through a series of tests over the course of a thorough evaluation in order to come to a diagnosis.
During your evaluation, they will also review your medical history and use screening tools to help.
Your physical therapist will start by asking detailed and specific questions about your symptoms, including your pain and areas of weakness.
During this process, they may ask you to fill out a body diagram to indicate where you’re feeling everything.
Then, they will have you perform sensation and muscle strength tests in order to gauge how much pressure is on your nerve root.
Your physical therapist will also examine your posture and watch you perform a series of tasks like walking or sitting.
This will allow them to measure your range of motion both in your spine and in your limbs.
If necessary, your physical therapist may use manual therapy to evaluate the mobility of your muscles and joints.
Usually, this is enough for a diagnosis.
But your physical therapist may also order an X‑ray or MRI if you’re experiencing severe pain, just to rule out other conditions and provide an accurate diagnosis.
Can You Fix Spinal Stenosis?
If your physical therapist has just confirmed that you have spinal stenosis, it may feel stressful.
But most of the time, your symptoms can be managed with physical therapy.
Only severe cases need surgery or injections.
And, currently research shows that physical therapy often offers a better outcome than a more invasive route like surgery.
Here are some options your physical therapist may use to help you reduce your symptoms.
1. Gentle Movement Exercises
Gentle movement exercises will be taught to you by your physical therapist depending on the location of your spinal stenosis.
The goal is to use specific movements to help reduce pressure from your nerve root, which reduces your pain and weakness.
2. Exercises To Improve Range Of Motion
There are exercises specifically designed to improve your range of motion.
This is helpful because spinal stenosis can reduce your range of motion, and joint mobility.
Improving your range of motion in a joint often reduces pain and other symptoms you may be experiencing.
3. Exercises To Improve Strength
Your physical therapist will also encourage you to improve your strength.
You’ll focus on improving the strength of your abdomen and back in order to provide more support for your spinal joints.
You might also focus on your arms or legs again depending on the location of your spinal stenosis.
4. Manual Soft Tissue Manipulation
Manual soft tissue manipulation is a hands-Pon therapy your physical therapist may use to help improve your mobility.
This often looks like a massage, working to reduce the pressure on your nerve roots within your spine.
5. Aerobics
Finally, your physical therapist may recommend aerobic exercise movements.
This can increase your ability to participate in activities that may be impacted by your spinal stenosis.
Think of activities like walking, cycling, or even lifting everyday objects.
Exercise is a great way to reduce your symptoms of pain and weakness.
This is because your improved muscle strength better supports your spine, which removes pressure from your nerves.
How Can I Avoid Spinal Stenosis?
Right now, there is no clear answer to this question because the condition is the result of natural aging.
But, it is clear that keeping fit with regular exercise helps to slow the progression of spinal stenosis and reduce your chances of experiencing symptoms.
You should focus on exercises that strengthen and support your back, and aim to keep your vertebrae flexible.
Maintaining a healthy body weight is another important thing you can do to help slow the progression of spinal stenosis.
You could also protect your back using supportive chairs, mattresses, and even footwear.
Anything that reduces your chances of a spinal injury is a step in the right direction of reducing your chances of spinal stenosis.
Book Your Appointment With Our Manhattan Physical Therapy Clinic Today
Spinal stenosis may be a common part of aging, but that doesn’t mean you have to live with the discomfort.
With expert guidance from a licensed physical therapist, many people find lasting relief and regain their ability to move comfortably and confidently.
Our physical therapists in New York City will create personalized treatment plans that focus on reducing pain, improving strength and flexibility, and helping you enjoy daily life again.
Their goal is to improve your ability to live a more active life again, pain free.
Don’t let spinal stenosis hold you back from the activities you love.
Book your appointment with Mobility Health Physical Therapy today and take the first step toward feeling better.
