Health & Wellness The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body
Don’t Let Spinal Stenosis Slow You Down! What is spinal stenosis?
between the spine, the canals shrink in size and may also have bone spurs. This irritates the nerve roots, especially when the spine is extended. Sitting typically feels better, but standing and backwards bending increase pain. Is surgery needed? There is a big push towards fusion surgery for spinal stenosis and back pain. However, studies show that surgery should be a last resort, before conservative measures such as physical therapy are performed. In the vast majority of cases, surgery is not needed andpeoplewillhavesignificant if not complete relief of their symptoms with physical therapy. Physical therapy targets the muscles and joints of the spine to build strength, improve stability of the spine and maintain the foramen as open as possible.
Spinal Stenosis refers to the narrowing of the canals in your spine that are formed by the vertebrae. This narrowing can impinge on the nerves exiting your spine or the spinal cord itself. Symptoms can vary, but often include radiating pain to the back, buttocks and even legs. Furthermore, weakness and poor balance in the legs can often occur, making it difficult to tolerate walking long distances and prolonged standing. Foraminal stenosis This is the most common form of spinal stenosis. It refers to the narrowing of the foramen canals on either side of the spine formed by the vertebrae above and below the segment. In each canal, spinal nerves exit the lower back to supply different parts of the pelvis and legs. With age and deterioration of the discs
STAFF SPOTLIGHT Mike Geimer, PT, Dip. MDT Lead Clinician
Mike Geimer is the Lead Physical Therapist of our Park Ridge and Fox River Grove clinics. He runs the Neck and LowBack Pain Center, which focuses on the conservative treatment of neck and low back pain. Mike received his Bachelor’s of Science in Physical Therapy in 1977 fromMarquette University. He was one of the first to receive an advanced diploma in MechanicalDiagnosisandTherapy(Dip.MDT) inthestateof IL in1998fromtheprestigious McKenzie Institute and is currently one of seven McKenzie Diplomats in the state. Mike specializes in the conservative treatment of pain in the spine, including the neck, mid-back and low back in patients from ages 8 – 80. He has helped thousands of his patients avoid surgery and have a better quality of life. In his free time, Mike enjoys golfing, spending time with his adult children and traveling with his wife.
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