What is Spinal Arthritis?
The low back takes a tremendous strain throughout our lifetime, supporting the body, moving, sitting, and performing repetitive motions. In addition to these contributing factors, arthritis can also affect the spine in the low back.
With abnormal forces on the back, the cartilage on the joints at each level of the spine can rub down resulting in increase wear, build up of bone, and eventually bone rubbing on bone. This can result in painful movement of the spinal joints and chronic, achy pain in the low back. Much like an arthritic knee, the spinal joints are helped through restoring natural movement, improving support from the supporting muscles, and proper posture.
What is Spinal Stenosis?
Spinal Stenosis is a condition that typically goes hand in hand with spinal arthritis. Spinal stenosis refers to a narrowing of the central spinal canal or the canals where the nerves exit the spine to the lower legs (called foramen). These canals are made up of overlapping spinal bones (vertebrae). With degeneration of the spinal joints, collapsing of the disc between the vertebrae, or abnormal bone growth, these canals can narrow. This leads to rubbing and eventually pressure on the nerves, which can cause pain and radiating symptoms.
How physical therapy helps:
Physical therapy can have a very positive effect on patients with spinal arthritis and stenosis. While our physical therapists cannot revert the changes to your spine due to arthritis, we can restore more natural movement to the spinal joints, improve flexibility, improve spinal muscle strength, and provide education about correct posture and prevention techniques.
With a successful course of physical therapy you can do more, with less pain. Often, our patients report significant reduction in pain and improvement in daily activities within weeks of beginning physical therapy. Call Bay State Physical Therapy today to find out more how we can help you have pain relief from spinal stenosis!
