Healthy News November 2021 Relieving Chiropractic Care for Hyperkyphosis Curves & Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
The spine has its own normal curvature or kyphosis. Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office knows the spine’s curves quite well! Most Groton 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 is overly curvy. Take for example the thoracic spine, the upper back part of the spine. Its normal kyphosis ranges from 20° to 40 in young people. 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 often described to affect women who experience more functional disorders like reduced 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 experienced the SMM forces similar to younger spines in research studies. (3) Luckily, manual therapy has been researched and described as effective to reduce and prevent musculoskeletal problems because of thoracic hyperkyphosis. A recent study described how such therapy adjusted the thoracic kyphosis angle, thoracic extension range of motion, and thoracic extension strength. (4) And an extra: Thoracic mobilization is shown to increase diaphragmatic excursion and respiratory function to manage and avert respiratory dysfunction in patients with thoracic hyperkyphosis. (5) Your Groton chiropractor delivers gentle, effective, distractive thoracic spine manipulation that is both hyperkyphosis-relieving and comfortable. Once you feel it, you will want more!
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Joseph D’Angiolillo on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he explains gentle distraction care of upper spine pain with the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
Lumbar spinal stenosis is a common diagnosis for older Groton adults. It’s associated with a higher utilization of healthcare services. And surgery isn’t 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 on a regular basis and those who got pre-operative chiropractic or physiotherapy care were less likely to report a poor overall outcome. (6) A recent study stated that receiving such non-operative care beginning within the first 30 days of diagnosis decreased 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 decreasing their pain and bettering their function. (8) Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office is ready to get started caring for your spinal stenosis today, non-operatively and safely.
CONTACT Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office
Make your next Groton chiropractic appointment today. Spine conditions like thoracic spine hyperkyphosis and lumbar spinal stenosis react well to chiropractic treatment!