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

The spine has its own usual curvature or kyphosis. Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office knows the spine’s curves quite well! Most Groton chiropractic clients don’t think about the spine’s 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. Its 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 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 use of erector spinal muscles plus other poor health issues. (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 successfully experienced the SMM forces similar to younger spines in research studies. (3) Luckily, manual therapy has been researched and described as effective to decrease and avert musculoskeletal problems due to thoracic hyperkyphosis. A recent report noted that such therapy adjusted the thoracic kyphosis angle, thoracic extension range of motion, and thoracic extension strength. (4) And an extra: Thoracic mobilization is shown to boost diaphragmatic excursion and respiratory function to manage and prevent respiratory dysfunction in patients with thoracic hyperkyphosis. (5) Your Groton chiropractor delivers gentle, effective, distractive thoracic spine manipulation that is both hyperkyphosis-relieving and comfortable. Once you feel it, you will want more!

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Joseph D’Angiolillo on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes gentle distraction care of upper spine pain with the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.

Lumbar spinal stenosis is a not uncommon diagnosis for older Groton adults. It’s associated with a higher utilization of healthcare services. And surgery isn’t always the solution 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 regularly and those who got pre-operative chiropractic or physiotherapy care were not as likely to describe a poor overall outcome. (6) A recent study stated 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 reported to be effective for patients with lumbar spinal stenosis by reducing their pain and bettering their function. (8) Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office is ready to get started treating your spinal stenosis today, non-operatively and safely.

CONTACT Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office

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