Three tips to make your spinal stenosis treatment goals a reality

Chronic back pain makes it difficult to get through each day of your life. There are several conditions that cause long-lasting pain in the back, but one of the most common ones is spinal stenosis.

Spinal stenosis is a condition in which the spinal cord grows more narrow and puts pressure on the nerves it contains. This condition has several different causes, including herniated discs, bone spurs, arthritis and traumatic injuries.

A little back pain in life is normal, but long-lasting and severe back pain is not. If you’re suffering from long-lasting or severe back pain, you should visit a medical professional to see if you have spinal stenosis.

Tips for treating spinal stenosis

Treatments for spinal stenosis vary depending on its cause and severity. Some treatments even involve the use of surgical procedures. However, many people can get by with physical therapy.

Physical therapy for spinal stenosis primarily focuses on building the strength and flexibility of the muscles and soft tissue in your back. The goal of this is to reduce pressure off the spine and provide better support for your upper body.

Regardless of what kind of treatment you receive, you can further improve your condition by following these tips:

1. Get active — When your back is in pain, you probably want to rest and avoid aggravating it. Rest is good, but too much rest can actually lead to more pain. You need to keep the muscles and soft tissue active to help improve the condition of your back. Try going for walks every day and doing aerobic exercises at home. 
2. Exercise and stretch — Building strength and flexibility in your back and core can take some of the burden of supporting your body off of your spine. Physical therapists can identify which stretches and exercises are best for your condition. 
3. Bring your head up — Sitting and standing with your head hunched forward puts a lot of strain on your spine. Each inch forward you hold your head increases the pressure on the spine by ten pounds. If you hunch your head far forward, that’s a lot of added pressure. You can reduce pain created by this posture by bringing your head up and leveling your ears with your shoulders.

Visit Armor Physical Therapy for spinal stenosis treatment

Do you have back pain related to spinal stenosis? Our physical therapists at Holland physical Therapy specialize in treatments that can reduce your pain and improve mobility in your spine. Contact us today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.