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

The spine has its own normal curvature or kyphosis. Hollstrom & Associates Inc knows the spine’s curves quite well! Most Largo chiropractic clients don’t give a second though to the spine’s curve, its normalcy or its function, until there is an issue caused by a curve that gets “too” curvy. Consider 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 described to affect women who experience more functional disorders like decreased back extensor muscle strength and ability to use erector spinal muscles in addition to 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 issues like hyperkyphosis. Older spines effectively received 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 improved the thoracic kyphosis angle, thoracic extension range of motion, and thoracic extension strength. (4) And a bonus: Thoracic mobilization is demonstrated to increase diaphragmatic excursion and respiratory function to control and prevent respiratory dysfunction in patients with thoracic hyperkyphosis. (5) Your Largo 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 care of upper spine pain with the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.

Lumbar spinal stenosis is a common diagnosis for older Largo adults. It’s associated with a 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 regularly and those who received pre-operative chiropractic or physiotherapy care were less likely to report a poor overall outcome. (6) A recent study stated 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. Fewer than 2% of Medicare beneficiaries receive 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) Hollstrom & Associates Inc is ready to get started treating your spinal stenosis today, non-surgically and safely.

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