The advice on stenosis is usually a list of prohibitions. This is the other half — what actually helps.
Stationary cycling
Excellent. The forward-leaning position opens the canal, which is why many people with stenosis can cycle far further than they can walk.
Water walking and swimming
Buoyancy unloads the spine. Avoid strokes requiring sustained neck extension.
Flexion-based stretching
Knee-to-chest and gentle lumbar flexion open the canal and are usually well tolerated.
Walking with a target
Walk to just short of symptom onset, rest, then repeat. Interval walking builds tolerance better than a single long walk.
Hip and core strengthening
Strong hips reduce the compensatory lumbar extension that provokes symptoms.
These are general suggestions, not a prescription. If any movement sharply increases pain, causes numbness, or sends pain down a limb, stop and get assessed. Advice that suits a disc problem can be exactly wrong for spinal stenosis, which is why a diagnosis comes first.
If pain is not settling, or you are not sure which of these applies to you, get a diagnosis first. Call (314) 310-5577 or request an appointment.
Common questions
How much should I do?
Enough to stay conditioned, stopping before symptoms build. Deconditioning makes stenosis worse, so doing nothing is not the safe option it appears to be.
Hurt in an accident? Start here.
You do not need a lawyer, a police report or a referral to be seen. Bring your symptoms and we will work out the rest.
Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Same-day appointments are often available for new accident and injury patients.