Healthy News November 2021 Relieving Chiropractic Care for Hyperkyphosis Curves & Lumbar Spinal Stenosis

The spine has its own normal curvature or kyphosis. Apple Country Chiropractic knows the spine’s curves quite well! Most Williamson chiropractic clients don’t think about the spinal curve, its normalcy or its function, until there is a problem caused by a curve that gets “too” curvy. Take for example the thoracic spine, the upper back part of the spine, whose normal kyphosis ranges from 20 to 40 degrees in young people. For 20% to 40% of over-60-year-old adults, this kyphosis is documented to grow beyond 40°. This “age-related kyphosis” (aka ‘hyperkyphosis’) affects both men and women but is more frequently described to affect women who experience more functional disorders like decreased back extensor muscle strength and ability to use erector spinal muscles in addition to poor health conditions. (1,2) Spinal manipulation and mobilization of the thoracic spine are common ways chiropractors treat musculoskeletal issues in older adults with conditions like hyperkyphosis. Older spines effectively received 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 due to thoracic hyperkyphosis. A recent study described how such therapy positively influenced 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 Williamson chiropractor delivers gentle, effective, distractive thoracic spine manipulation that is both hyperkyphosis-relieving and comfortable. Once you feel it, you will 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 treatment of upper spine pain with the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.

Lumbar spinal stenosis is a not uncommon diagnosis for older Williamson adults. It’s associated with a higher utilization of healthcare services. And surgery is not 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. Promisingly, patients who exercised regularly and those who received 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 starting within the first 30 days of diagnosis reduced the use of riskier and more costly health care services in the following year. Less than 2% of Medicare beneficiaries receive such care in a timely fashion. (7) Lastly, manual manipulation for 8 weeks was reported to be effective for patients with lumbar spinal stenosis by decreasing their pain and bettering their function. (8) Apple Country Chiropractic is ready to get started treating your spinal stenosis today, non-surgically and safely.

CONTACT Apple Country Chiropractic

Schedule your next Williamson chiropractic appointment today. Spinal conditions like thoracic spine hyperkyphosis and lumbar spinal stenosis react well to chiropractic treatment!