New Research from Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office: Exercise Helps Spinal Stenosis Patients, Regardless of Severity
Hearing a diagnosis of spinal stenosis or a disc protrusion often makes exercise feel intimidating — could exercise actually cause more damage? A pair of studies published in early 2026 offer genuine peace of mind, and they're definitely worth discussing with your doctor of chiropractic at Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office as you plan your recovery.
A "SEVERE" SCAN DOESN'T MEAN EXERCISE WON'T HELP
A large retrospective study of 1,806 patients published in Physical Therapy looked at people with mild, moderate, and severe lumbar spinal stenosis who completed an exercise-based rehabilitation program, and the results push back on a common assumption. (1) The study found that participants improved significantly in pain levels, functional disability, strength, and medication use — and there was no meaningful difference in how well participants responded to exercise based on how advanced their stenosis appeared on scans, with more than one in ten patients able to stop using narcotic pain medication altogether. In other words: even a "severe" stenosis diagnosis doesn't rule out benefiting from exercise.
FOR DISC PROTRUSION, TARGETED STABILIZATION WORK PAYS OFF
A randomized clinical trial published in the journal Health Science Reports followed 60 patients with a single-sided lumbar disc protrusion for an eight-week period, comparing standard physiotherapy on its own to routine physiotherapy combined with supervised stabilization training targeting the deep stabilizing muscles of the trunk. Pain, disability, and lumbar range of motion improved in both groups, though the stabilization group saw significantly greater gains — and ultrasound imaging showed better activation of the deep abdominal and multifidus muscles that help support the low back. Just as promising: across the eight-week trial of supervised exercise, not a single participant had a symptom flare-up or a injury tied to the program, only mild soreness in the first weeks that resolved on its own. (2)
ASK US ABOUT YOUR EXERCISE PLAN
This research isn't permission to skip professional guidance, and the correct exercise plan is shaped by your particular imaging, symptoms, and goals — so before starting or changing an exercise routine, talk with your chiropractor at Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office in Groton, who can help you move toward relief with confidence instead of fear.
Check out this podcast with Dr. Kurt Olding on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he details the benefit of The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management for spinal stenosis.
