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Exercises for chronic conditions: lumbar stenosis.(EXERCISE RX)
Lumbar spinal stenosis occurs in the lower back, where most back movement takes place. The condition develops when osteoarthritis causes a narrowing of the opening in the vertebrae through which the spinal nerves pass. In some advanced cases, bones press on the spinal nerves when the body is in a certain position or positions, which causes a sharp pain.
Symptoms of this condition are similar to those of disk disease; patients may complain of numbness in the legs and pain in the lower spine. Older patients may report shooting pains in the legs when they first wake up in the morning.
Patients with lumbar stenosis may report that walking seems more difficult although they have no apparent pain in their knees. They also may find that their calves hurt after walking but that the calf pain goes away when they sit down. These symptoms are due to a combination of body position and tight muscles that further close off the already narrowed vertebral openings. When the patient sits down, the openings become slightly enlarged, which may reduce the pain temporarily.
Lumbar spinal stenosis is often mistakenly diagnosed as sciatica, peripheral vascular disease, or simply the aches and pains of old age. It tends to develop with age and is more common among people who have worked in a physically demanding job, such as construction, for most of their adult lives. The condition will become more common among the population in general as people live longer.
One way to diagnose lumbar stenosis is a treadmill test, but not the kind you would use for a heart examination. Have the patient walk on a level surface, and then change it to an incline. While walking uphill, patients with spinal stenosis can experience pain relief, but patients with peripheral vascular disease tend to have more severe pain.
In this month's column, we'll look at some exercises to help relieve the discomfort of lumbar spinal stenosis. (See illustrations and instructions for patients below.)
Surgery, although feasible, is difficult and not always ...
- New spinal stenosis research reported from M. Yagi and co-authors.(Report)
- Newspaper article from: Biotech Week May 20, 2009 700+ words
...degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis involving a modified...41 patients with lumbar stenosis were randomly assigned...report (see also Spinal Stenosis). "Spinal anteroposterior...for degenerative spinal stenosis Clinical article...
- Exercises for chronic conditions: lumbar stenosis.(Exercise RX)
- Magazine article from: Family Practice News Nagler, Willibald March 1, 2005 700+ words
...to diagnose lumbar stenosis is a treadmill...patients with spinal stenosis can experience...with lumbar spinal stenosis from running...diabetes. Lumbar Stenosis Supine paraspinal...patients with spinal stenosis. To stretch...
- Questions and Answers About Spinal Stenosis.(Pamphlet)
- Newspaper article from: Pamphlet by: Nat'l Inst. of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal & Skin Diseases October 16, 1999 700+ words
...sheet contains general information about spinal stenosis. It describes the condition's causes...discuss them with your doctor. * What Is Spinal Stenosis? * Who Gets Spinal Stenosis? * What Structures of the Spine Are Involved...
- Lumbar spinal stenosis.
- Magazine article from: Physical Therapy Nowakowski, Patricia Delitto, Anthony Erhard, Richard E. February 1, 1996 700+ words
Spinal stenosis was described as early as 1899 by...symptoms were relieved by laminectomy. Spinal stenosis is caused by narrowing of the spinal...complaint of patients with symptomatic spinal stenosis is claudication, an intense pain...
- Spinal Stenosis: To Operate or Not To Operate?(Clinical report)
- Newspaper article from: Neurology Alert May 1, 2008 700+ words
Spinal Stenosis: To Operate or Not To Operate...therapies for symptomatic lumbar spinal stenosis. Source: Weinstein JN, et al...versus nonsurgical therapy for lumbar spinal stenosis. N Engl J Med 2008;358: 794...
- Ask the Doctor: Spinal stenosis can be very painful.
- News wire article from: Sun Herald (Biloxi, MS) July 3, 2006 700+ words
...Would you please write a column about spinal stenosis? I have had three epidural injections...vertebrae together. Q: What is lumbar spinal stenosis? A: The discs in our backs become...lumbar spinal canal, which is known as spinal stenosis. Q: What are the causes spinal ...
- Lumbar spinal stenosis.(Disease/Disorder overview)
- CareNotes May 1, 2007 700+ words
...GENERAL INFORMATION: What is lumbar spinal stenosis? Lumbar (LUM-bahr) spinal (SPI...the rest of the body. When lumbar spinal stenosis happens, the nerves that go to the...more serious problems of lumbar spinal stenosis may be prevented and your quality...
- Ask the Doctor: Spinal stenosis has many treatments available.
- News wire article from: Sun Herald (Biloxi, MS) June 18, 2007 700+ words
...me that there is a good likelihood I have spinal stenosis and wants me to go through some testing...explain the disease to you. Q: What is spinal stenosis? A: Spinal stenosis occurs when excessive soft tissue or bone...
- Ask the Doctor: What is spinal stenosis?
- News wire article from: Sun Herald (Biloxi, MS) December 4, 2006 700+ words
...that there is a good likelihood that I have spinal stenosis and wants me to go through some testing...explain the disease to you. Q: What is spinal stenosis? A: Spinal stenosis occurs when excessive soft tissue or bone...
- New lumbar spinal stenosis findings from Z.F. Felix and co-researchers...
- Newspaper article from: Biotech Week August 27, 2008 700+ words
...pivotal role in diagnosing lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS), and serve as an important...presentation of patients with lumbar spinal stenosis," researchers in Heidelberg...Germany report (see also Lumbar Spinal Stenosis). "Sixty-three patients...
Source: HighBeam Research, Exercises for chronic conditions: lumbar stenosis.(EXERCISE RX)