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

The spine has its own normal curvature or kyphosis. Amelia Chiropractic Clinic knows the spine’s curves quite well! Most Fernandina Beach chiropractic clients don’t give a second though to the spinal curve, its normalcy or its function, until there is a problem caused by a curve that is overly curvy. Think about the thoracic spine, the upper back part of the spine, whose normal kyphosis ranges from 20 to 40 degrees in young spines. 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 seen in women who have 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 ways chiropractors 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 due to thoracic hyperkyphosis. A recent report noted that such therapy improved 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 Fernandina Beach chiropractor delivers gentle, effective, distractive thoracic spine manipulation that both relieves hyperkyphosis and is quite 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 Fernandina Beach adults. It’s related to higher utilization of healthcare services. And surgery isn’t always the solution according to a study reporting that 1 in 3 lumbar spinal stenosis patients experienced a poor clinical outcome with 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 regularly and those who received pre-operative chiropractic or physiotherapy care were not as likely to report a poor overall outcome. (6) A recent study reported that receiving such non-operative care starting within the first 30 days of diagnosis decreased the use of riskier and more costly health care services in the following year. Less 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 improving their function. (8) Amelia Chiropractic Clinic is ready to get started treating your spinal stenosis today, non-operatively and safely.

CONTACT Amelia Chiropractic Clinic

Make your next Fernandina Beach chiropractic appointment today. Spinal conditions like thoracic spine hyperkyphosis and lumbar spinal stenosis respond well to chiropractic treatment!