April 10, 2025 | Your spine, or backbone, protects your spinal cord and allows you to stand and bend. There are many different structures in the anatomy of the back that work together to support your body. The three major regions of the spine are the cervical spine, the thoracic spine and the lumbar spine. Spinal stenosis is a narrowing around the spinal cord or spinal nerves. When your lumbar nerves are compressed from stenosis, it can cause pain, numbness, or weakness in your legs. These symptoms are usually exaggerated when you are standing or moving. It’s estimated that 11 percent of adults over the age of 60 in the United States are affected by spinal stenosis. That translates to around 10 to 12 million people. Anyone can get spinal stenosis but the chances of developing the disorder increase with age. Spinal stenosis also can be present in younger people who are born with a narrow spinal canal or who have an injury to the spine.

April 10, 2025 | Spinal bones are stacked in a column from the skull to the tailbone. They protect the spinal cord, which runs through an opening called the spinal canal. Some people are born with a small spinal canal. But most cases of spinal stenosis occur when something happens to reduce the amount of open space within the spine. Wear-and-tear damage from arthritis can cause extra bone to grow on the spine. This creates bone spurs that can push into the spinal canal. Disks are the soft cushions that act as shock absorbers between the spinal bones. If part of the disk’s soft inner material leaks out, it can press on the spinal cord or nerves. Auto accidents and other forms of trauma can cause spinal bones to break or move out of place. Swelling of nearby tissue right after back surgery can also put pressure on the spinal cord or nerves. Some people are born with certain conditions, such as scoliosis, which can cause the spinal canal to narrow, causing spinal stenosis.

April 10, 2025 | Spinal stenosis may develop when the spaces within the spine narrow, most often in the lower back and neck. The narrowing creates pressure on the spine and related structures. For most people, the symptoms develop and progress slowly over a period of time. The symptoms they experience depend on the location of the narrowing in their spine. Signs of spinal stenosis in the lower back can include burning pain that radiates down the buttocks and into the legs that typically worsens with standing or walking and gets better with leaning forward. Neck pain and tingling that radiates down the arms into the hands are signs of spinal stenosis in the neck. Walking, standing, or extending the lumbar area of the spine can cause symptoms to worsen. Sitting or flexing the lower back or neck may relieve symptoms. The flexed position “opens up” the spinal column, enlarging the spaces between vertebrae at the back of the spine.

April 10, 2025 | The primary goal in treating spinal stenosis is to help manage the patient’s pain and help them remain as active as possible. Dr. Jordan Walters, an orthopedic spine surgeon at UAMS, says there are a number of medications available to relieve back pain. In some cases, an epidural injection may be used to inject medication directly into the space around the patient’s spinal nerve or spinal cord. A type of talk therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, can help the patient understand their pain and how to deal with it. Physical therapy may be prescribed, with a physical therapist teaching the patient stretches and exercises that can make their back muscles stronger. If the patient’s symptoms become worse over time, surgery may be necessary. Dr. Walters says there are several surgical options, including removing a bulging disk, removing part of the vertebra bone, or widening the canal and openings where the spinal nerves are located.

April 10, 2025 | Living with spinal stenosis can be challenging but there are certain things you can do to make the condition easier to withstand. Regular exercise is one option. Try to exercise at least three times a week for 30 minutes. Modify or adjust your activity and try to avoid doing things that can make the pain worse. Your physician or physical therapist may recommend specific exercises for you to do at home as well. Talk to your doctor before beginning any exercise program. Try to make adjustments in your daily routines that might trigger pain. And use assistive devices to help give you stability when you walk around. You may want to consider changing your posture. Some people may find that flexing the spine can relieve some of their symptoms. Flexing opens the spaces in the spine, which takes pressure off the nerves and can help decrease pain. And practice healthy habits like maintaining a healthy weight and if you smoke, consider quitting.