Spinal stenosis is a condition of the spine seen in people of middle age and older. It is not a very common diagnosis. The condition causes low-back pain as well as radiating leg pain. The leg pain may start in the buttocks and extend down the thigh and lower leg, sometimes even to the foot. Usually the pain is worse with activities that extend the back, such as walking, standing or climbing stairs. Tingling or numbness in the feet is also common.
The cause of spinal stenosis is fairly easy to explain. The spinal cord runs through and inside the backbone, in what is called the spinal canal. This bony canal usually has space around the spinal cord to allow free and normal movement. Spinal stenosis occurs when that canal begins to get narrow because of the bone growth around the inside of the canal. As the canal gets narrower, it begins to close in on the spinal cord, causing the pain and symptoms listed above.
Treatment in mild cases consists of a therapeutic exercise routine with emphasis on stabilizing the low back, avoiding low-back extension, and periodic resting in a flexed or bent low back. Treatment in severe cases usually involves surgery to cut and remove the abnormal bone from the spinal canal. After surgery, rehabilitation involves exercise to regain range of motion and strength, as well as functional training such as walking.
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