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

The spine has its own standard curvature or kyphosis. Vancouver Disc Centers knows the spine’s curves quite well! Most Vancouver 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 gets “too” curvy. Take for example the thoracic spine, the upper back part of the spine, whose normal kyphosis ranges from 20° to 40 in young people. For 20% to 40% of over-60-year-olds, this kyphosis is documented to grow beyond 40°. This is termed “age-related kyphosis” or “hyperkyphosis” which affects both men and women but is more often seen in women who have more functional disorders like decreased back extensor muscle strength and ability to use erector spinal muscles plus other poor health conditions. (1,2) Spinal manipulation and mobilization of the thoracic spine are common approaches chiropractors use to treat musculoskeletal issues in older adults with conditions like hyperkyphosis. Older spines effectively experienced the SMM forces similar to younger spines in research studies. (3) Fortunately, 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 positively influenced the thoracic kyphosis angle, thoracic extension range of motion, and thoracic extension strength. (4) And an extra: Thoracic mobilization is demonstrated to boost diaphragmatic excursion and respiratory function to control and prevent respiratory dysfunction in patients with thoracic hyperkyphosis. (5) Your Vancouver 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 thoracic pain with the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.

Lumbar spinal stenosis is a common diagnosis for older Vancouver adults. It is related to higher utilization of healthcare services. And surgery isn’t always the answer according to a study that reported how 1 in 3 lumbar spinal stenosis patients experienced a poor clinical outcome with surgery. Also, 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 new study reported that getting 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. Fewer than 2% of Medicare beneficiaries started 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 reducing their pain and bettering their function. (8) Vancouver Disc Centers is ready to get started treating your spinal stenosis today, non-operatively and safely.

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Schedule your next Vancouver chiropractic appointment today. Spine conditions like thoracic spine hyperkyphosis and lumbar spinal stenosis respond well to chiropractic treatment!