Healthy News November 2021 Relieving Chiropractic Care for Hyperkyphosis Curves & Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
The spine has its own normal curvature or kyphosis. Vancouver Disc Centers knows the spine’s curves quite well! Most Vancouver chiropractic clients do not give a second though to the spinal curve, its normalcy or its function, until there is an issue caused by a curve that is overly curvy. Think about the thoracic spine, the upper back part of the spine, whose normal kyphosis ranges from 20° to 40 in young people. For 20 to 40% of over-60-year-olds, this kyphosis is documented to grow beyond 40°. This is termed “age-related kyphosis” or “hyperkyphosis” which affects both men and women but is more often described to affect women who have more functional disorders like decreased back extensor muscle strength and ability to use erector spinal muscles plus other 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 conditions like hyperkyphosis. Older spines successfully experienced the SMM forces similar to younger spines in research studies. (3) Fortunately, research describes manual therapy as effective to reduce and prevent musculoskeletal problems due to thoracic hyperkyphosis. A recent study described how such therapy improved the thoracic kyphosis angle, thoracic extension range of motion, and thoracic extension strength. (4) And a bonus: Thoracic mobilization is shown to boost diaphragmatic excursion and respiratory function to control and prevent respiratory dysfunction in patients with thoracic hyperkyphosis. (5) Your Vancouver chiropractor delivers gentle, effective, distractive thoracic spine manipulation that both relieves hyperkyphosis and is quite comfortable. Once you feel it, you’ll ask for it again!
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Joseph D’Angiolillo on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes gentle distraction care of thoracic pain with the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
Lumbar spinal stenosis is a not uncommon diagnosis for older Vancouver adults. It is associated with a higher utilization of healthcare services. And surgery is not always the answer according to a study that reported how 1 in 3 lumbar spinal stenosis patients experienced a poor clinical outcome with surgery. Moreover, 36.1% of 529 patients had a poor leg pain outcome while 27.6% had a poor overall outcome. Promisingly, patients who exercised regularly and those who received pre-operative chiropractic or physiotherapy care were less likely to describe a poor overall outcome. (6) A new study stated that receiving such non-operative care beginning 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 receive 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) Vancouver Disc Centers is ready to get started caring for your spinal stenosis today, non-surgically and safely.
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Make your next Vancouver chiropractic appointment today. Spinal conditions like thoracic spine hyperkyphosis and lumbar spinal stenosis react well to chiropractic treatment!