Richmond Back Pain from Spinal Stenosis: MRI and Exercise

Beyond the Image: Understanding Your Spine Through Clinical Care

You are in pain and searching for relief—we're here to help. Nothing feels more reassuring than seeing an actual image of your spine and indicating what might be causing your pain. But here's something that might surprise you: what you see on your MRI or X-ray often doesn't match what you're actually feeling. A groundbreaking 2025 study reported that people with severe spinal stenosis visible on scans sometimes have no pain, while others with "perfect-looking" spines are in horrible pain. (1) Weird, right? Another new study described what many patients feel: "it's hard to trust an individual, it's easier to trust an image." (2) We get that completely. But the reality for many—your chiropractor's hands-on exam, mixed with carefully clarifying your imaging, tells your real story. It's not about dismissing those scans; it's about getting the full picture of what's really going on with your body so we can help you feel better. Let’s talk about both your imaging findings and clinical assessment exam findings to develop a complete treatment plan custom-made just to you delivered by your chiropractor at Johnson Chiropractic.

Richmond CHIROPRACTIC TIP OF THE MONTH: Try Exercise to Help Decrease Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Pain

Exercise provides substantial benefits for lumbar spinal stenosis patients, effectively decreasing pain and improving function through flexibility, strengthening, and aerobic components. Importantly, stenosis severity does not affect treatment responsiveness, meaning that even patients with advanced stenosis can get meaningful improvements. This evidence promotes exercise as a primary conservative treatment, proposing a non-invasive approach to manage symptoms and improve mobility before considering surgical options. (3,4) Let’s see what type of exercise works best for you at your next visit.

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We kook forward to seeing you at your next Richmond chiropractic visit!