Build Yourself Back From Lower Back Stenosi
Updated: Oct 19, 2020
Are you having pain and stiffness in your back while standing or walking? Does it gradually get
worse throughout the day? Do you feel pain or numbness down the back of your leg, hip or foot? You could be experiencing symptoms of Spinal Stenosi.
Spinal Stenosi is a condition that affects the spine by narrowing the nerve passageways and compressing the spinal nerves. Compressed nerves in the lower back can cause pain in the back itself but also send shooting pain and numbness or tingling down the leg or into the foot.
Mechanism and Symptoms
In order to understand the most common signs of Stenosi, first understand two simple movements. Referring to the diagram, flexion is when your spine bends forward and extension is when your spine bends backwards. If the following symptoms are created or amplified by extension and relieved by flexion, then you may be experiencing Stenosis.
1. Pain, weakness, numbness and/or tingling in the foot or leg
2. Lower back pain and stiffness
3. Pain or cramping in leg(s) when standing or walking for a long time
Maintenance
In order to avoid the symptoms of Stenosi in the lower back, it is important to improve and maintain flexibility as well as decrease tension in the muscles around the hip and back. Doing this keeps your spine in neutral position & avoids unwanted extension which then reduces nerve compression, allowing the nerves to heal. Practice the 3 following stretches to improve your symptoms.
Knee Hug Stretch
1. Lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the
ground.
2. While squeezing your abs to avoid going into extension, use your
arms to slowly hug one knee to your chest and then hug the other.
3. Hold this for 30secs - 1 min and repeat 3 times.
Benefit: This not only stretches the lower back muscles but it also opens the
narrowed spaces in-between the spine and decompresses the nerves affected
by Stenosi.
Hip Flexor Stretch
Refer to diagrams below.
1. On one knee create a 90° angle with your hip and knee. Use a chair for support.
2. Keep your back in line with your hip bone and locked in place with no extension and
squeeze your abs as you transfer your weight forward until there’s a gentle stretch in the
front of your hip.
3. Hold for 30 secs, do the same on the opposite leg and repeat another time.
Benefit: This stretches the muscles that pull on your hip bones, bringing your spine into extension. Stretching these muscles sets your hip bone into a neutral position.
Gluteal Stretch
1. While sitting on the ground (against the wall for more support), cross one leg over the other while keeping the bottom leg straight.
2. Hug the outside of your top knee towards the opposite armpit until you feel a stretch in your buttock.
3. Hold for 30 secs, do the same on the opposite leg and repeat another time. Benefit: This also stretches muscles that pull your hip bones into a problematic position. Stretching these muscles sets your hip bone into a neutral position.