Due to the compression of lumbar spinal nerves, lumbar spinal stenosis can lead to neurological issues in the legs. Walking can become challenging and painful, and without proper care and spinal stenosis treatment in Boca Raton, FL, you could lose the ability to walk altogether. However, several things can help treat spinal stenosis so you can retain the ability to walk.
How a Physical Therapist Can Help
A physical therapist’s overall goal is to help you retain the ability to go about your day. They’ll work with you to design a treatment plan and show you how to do exercises and motions to strengthen your muscles and alleviate some nerve tension caused by spinal stenosis.
Exercises
A physical therapist will use three main exercise groups to help you with spinal stenosis treatment in Boca Raton, FL.
- Stretching Exercises: Stretching and range of motion exercises improve joint mobility and relieve joint pain.
- Strengthening Exercises: Strong back and abdomen muscles will support your spinal joints, and strong arm muscles also take some of the pressure off.
- Aerobic Exercise: This exercise will increase your tolerance for activities such as walking.
Additional Physical Therapy Benefits
In addition to exercises, your physical therapist can conduct hands-on therapy where they massage your muscles. Massage will help loosen stiff joints and reduce your pain. They might also prescribe using rehabilitation equipment to ease the pressure when you exercise. Lastly, they’ll help you improve your posture.
Other Treatments
Often used in combination with physical therapy, other treatments include lifestyle adjustments such as weight loss, pain relief and anti-inflammatory medications, epidural steroid injections, and, as a last resort, surgery.
Early treatment of spinal stenosis is vital for retaining the ability to walk. Visit Boca Raton Orthopaedics Groupto learn about your options for spinal stenosis treatment in Boca Raton, FL.
