• Conditions Treated
• Elbow Conditions
  • Golfer’s Elbow
  • Little Leaguer’s Elbow
  • Tennis Elbow
• Foot and Ankle Dysfunctions
  • Ankle Fracture
  • Ankle Sprain
  • Calf Strain
  • Plantar Fasciitis
  • Shin Splint
• Hand Injuries
  • Boutonniere Deformity
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
  • Cubital Tunnel Syndrome
  • DeQuervain's Tenosynovitis
  • Wrist Fracture
• Hip and Thigh Conditions
  • Hamstring Strain
  • Hip Replacement
• Knee Pain
  • ACL Injuries
  • ITB Syndrome
  • Knee Replacement
  • Patella Tendinitis
• Shoulder Injuries
  • Dislocated Shoulder
  • Frozen Shoulder
  • Rotator Cuff Tear
  • Shoulder Tendinitis
• Spinal Conditions
  • Back Pain
    • Preventing Back Pain
  • Cervical Strain
  • Headache
  • Herniated Disk
  • Neck Pain
    • Preventing Neck Pain
  • Sciatica
  • Spinal Stenosis
  • Spondylolisthesis
• Other Conditions
  • Arthritis
  • Chronic Pelvic Pain
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Lymphedema
  • Osteoporosis
  • TMJ Dysfunction
  • Urinary Incontinence

Spinal Stenosis

Spinal stenosis is a condition in which the spinal column or the openings where spinal nerves leave the spinal column become narrowed. This narrowing can put pressure on the spinal cord or spinal nerves (at the level where the compression is occurring). Spinal stenosis is commonly caused by age-related changes in the spine. As a person ages, the disks in the spine become drier and start to shrink; at the same time, the bones and ligaments of the spine swell or grow larger due to arthritis or long-term swelling (inflammation). Spinal stenosis is more common in the lumbar spine, but it can also occur in the cervical spine.

Signs and symptoms

The signs and symptoms of spinal stenosis depend on which nerves are affected. Spinal stenosis can cause:

• Pain or numbness in the legs, back, neck, shoulders, or arms
• Limb weakness and a lack of coordination
• Loss of sensation in the extremities
• Problems with bladder or bowel function

Pain is not always present, particularly if you have spinal stenosis in your cervical spine (neck).

Symptoms are more likely to be present or get worse when you stand or walk (as these movement cause the spine to extend). They will often lessen or disappear when you sit down or lean forward (as positions place the spine in a flexed position). Frequently, symptoms will be on one side of the body or the other, and will often worsen over time.

Risk factors

Factors that increase the risk of spinal stenosis include:

• Arthritis of the spine, usually in middle-aged or elderly people
• Bone diseases (for example, Paget's disease of bone and achondroplasia)
• Herniated or slipped disk, which may have happened in the past
• Injury that causes pressure on the nerve roots or the spinal cord

SSPT’s approach to treating spinal stenosis

Your SSPT therapy for spinal stenosis may include:

• Manual “hands-on” lumbar and cervical joint traction
• Lumbar and cervical or thoracic joint mobilization
• Soft tissue mobilization
• Core stability exercises
• Functional posture training and education
• Stretching and exercise programs