Healthy News November 2021 Relieving Chiropractic Care for Hyperkyphosis Curves & Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
The spine has its own standard curvature or kyphosis. Young Chiropractic knows the spine’s curves quite well! Most Easley chiropractic clients do not think about the curvature of the spine, its normalcy or its function, until there is an issue caused by a curve that gets “too” curvy. Take for example the thoracic spine, the upper back part of the spine. Its normal kyphosis ranges from 20° to 40 in young spines. For 20% to 40% of over-60-year-old adults, this kyphosis is seen to grow beyond 40°. This is termed “age-related kyphosis” or “hyperkyphosis” which affects both men and women but is more frequently seen in women who experience more functional disorders like decreased back extensor muscle strength and ability to use erector spinal muscles in addition to poor health issues. (1,2) Spinal manipulation and mobilization of the thoracic spine are common approaches chiropractors use to treat musculoskeletal issues in older adults with issues like hyperkyphosis. Older spines successfully received the SMM forces similar to younger spines in research studies. (3) Luckily, manual therapy has been researched and described as effective to reduce and avert musculoskeletal problems because of thoracic hyperkyphosis. A recent report noted that such therapy positively influenced the thoracic kyphosis angle, thoracic extension range of motion, and thoracic extension strength. (4) And an extra: Thoracic mobilization is shown to boost diaphragmatic excursion and respiratory function to manage and prevent respiratory dysfunction in patients with thoracic hyperkyphosis. (5) Your Easley chiropractor delivers gentle, effective, distractive thoracic spine manipulation that is both hyperkyphosis-relieving and comfortable. Once you feel it, you will ask for it again!
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Joseph D’Angiolillo on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he explains gentle distraction treatment of upper spine pain with the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
Lumbar spinal stenosis is a common diagnosis for older Easley adults. It’s associated with a higher utilization of healthcare services. And surgery is not always the solution according to a study that reported how 1 in 3 lumbar spinal stenosis patients experienced a poor clinical outcome after surgery. Moreover, 36.1% of 529 patients had a poor leg pain outcome while 27.6% had a poor overall outcome. Encouragingly, patients who exercised regularly and those who received pre-operative chiropractic or physiotherapy care were not as likely to report a poor overall outcome. (6) A new study reported that getting such non-operative care starting within the first 30 days of diagnosis reduced the use of riskier and more costly health care services in the following year. Fewer than 2% of Medicare beneficiaries got such care in a timely fashion. (7) Lastly, manual manipulation for 8 weeks was shown to be effective for patients with lumbar spinal stenosis by easing their pain and bettering their function. (8) Young Chiropractic is ready to get started treating your spinal stenosis today, non-operatively and safely.
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Schedule your next Easley chiropractic appointment today. Spine conditions like thoracic spine hyperkyphosis and lumbar spinal stenosis react well to chiropractic treatment!