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

The spine has its own normal curvature or kyphosis. Johnson Chiropractic knows the spine’s curves quite well! Most Richmond 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 gets “too” curvy. Take for example 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-olds, this kyphosis is seen to grow beyond 40°. This “age-related kyphosis” (aka ‘hyperkyphosis’) affects both men and women but is more often seen in women who have more functional disorders like decreased back extensor muscle strength and ability to use erector spinal muscles plus other poor health conditions. (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 effectively received the SMM forces similar to younger spines in research studies. (3) Luckily, research describes manual therapy 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 a bonus: Thoracic mobilization is shown to increase diaphragmatic excursion and respiratory function to manage and prevent respiratory dysfunction in patients with thoracic hyperkyphosis. (5) Your Richmond 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 explains gentle distraction care of thoracic pain with the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.

Lumbar spinal stenosis is a common diagnosis for older Richmond adults. It’s related to 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 had a poor clinical outcome after surgery. Also, 36.1% of 529 patients had a poor leg pain outcome while 27.6% had a poor overall outcome. Promisingly, 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 new study stated that receiving such non-operative care beginning within the first 30 days of diagnosis reduced 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) Johnson Chiropractic is ready to get started treating your spinal stenosis today, non-operatively and safely.

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