Lumbar spinal stenosis is a progressive condition that can get worse over time, so it’s important to know what self-care strategies can be helpful as well as what things you should avoid doing that may worsen your condition.
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Living With Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
If you are living with lumbar spinal stenosis, the discomfort and difficulty of walking can be hard to bear. It is normal to want relief right away. Depending on the nature and severity of your condition, there are things you can do that may help reduce pain or slow the progression of the condition.
Exercise
Moderate, low-impact exercise (such as swimming, water exercise, walking, and cycling on level surfaces) as well as exercises to build abdominal and hip strength can support your spine.
In the past, many specialists prescribed onlyflexion exercisesfor people with spinal stenosis. Flexion exercises bend the spine forward.Bending forward increases the diameter of your spinal canal. Creating more space in your spinal canal takes pressure off the nerves in your spine.
Today, it is more common to include exercises that allow you to bend backward, too. One such movement is called asustained standing lumbar extension.This exercise gently presses against your spinal discs, moving them away from your spinal canal and nerves to give them more room.
Work with your healthcare provider or physical therapist to develop anexercise program. They can show you how to do these exercises safely.
Practice Good Posture
Physical Therapy
Aphysical therapistcan teach you exercises to improve yourrange of motion (ROM)and strength. They can also show you proper ways to lift objects and how to change your posture to help ease your symptoms.
Lifestyle Changes
One of the most important things you can do to reduce your symptoms is to maintain a healthy weight. Excess weight puts added pressure on the spine when walking and standing.
Home Remedies and Alternative Therapies
Simple home remedies like using an ice pack or heating pad, or taking a hot shower may provide some temporary pain relief.
Along with home remedies, massage and acupuncture may provide pain relief. Clinical trials are beginning to emerge with the majority demonstrating benefit from certain acupuncture techniques.
What Not to Do With Spinal Stenosis
Lumbar spinal stenosisis different from many other causes of back pain. It is a progressive condition that often gets worse if you do nothing.
“Progressive” doesn’t mean there is nothing you can do. Exercising can help you move more freely. It can also decrease back and leg pain. Working to improve your strength and range of motion can help you walk better with less pain.
Taking an active role in your care is one of the best ways to manage your condition.
Don’t Overuse NSAIDs
Side effects of NSAIDs include:
Chronic NSAID use may also increase the risk of kidney injury and heart problems.
Stop High Impact Exercise
High-impact exercises like running, jumping, and climbing can worsen spinal stenosis. These activities create repeated impacts on the spine. Even prolonged walks should be avoided because they can cause muscle fatigue, which can increase the strain on your lumbar spine.
Contact sports such as football, soccer, basketball, and martial arts also involve a lot of impact and can result in sudden trauma or further injury to the spine.
Spinal Stenosis Therapies
The right treatment for you depends on many factors: the severity of your spinal stenosis, which levels and how many levels of your spine are affected, your age, your overall health, and whether you are prepared to participate in post-operative rehabilitation.
Spinal Stenosis Medication
Your healthcare provider may prescribe medication to help treat the pain from spinal stenosis. Remember that these medications should only be used as directed and only when your symptoms are severe.
What is the best painkiller for spinal stenosis?The best painkillers for spinal stenosis vary from person to person. If the medication you’re taking for pain doesn’t seem to be helping, talk to your healthcare provider about other medications or strategies you can try to help manage your condition.
What is the best painkiller for spinal stenosis?
The best painkillers for spinal stenosis vary from person to person. If the medication you’re taking for pain doesn’t seem to be helping, talk to your healthcare provider about other medications or strategies you can try to help manage your condition.
Spinal Stenosis Minimally Invasive Options
Some treatment options may be considered before surgical interventions are necessary. These include:
Spinal Stenosis Surgery
There are several surgical options for treating lumbar spinal stenosis, but these are usually only considered after more conservative therapies have been tried. These include:
Surgery may be the best option in some situations. For some people, non-invasive treatment and surgery have similar long-term outcomes for lumbar spinal stenosis.For example, for some people,epidural steroid injections, in which medication is injected into your spine, can be a good treatment option.
A 2017 review published in theInternational Journal of Surgeryconfirmed that surgery and non-surgical approaches, such as physical therapy, can be effective.
Summary
Lumbar spinal stenosis is a progressive condition. If you don’t take any action, it is likely to get worse over time. Talk to a physical therapist or another healthcare provider about different types of exercise you can do to build up your strength and mobility and slow the progression of the condition.
While anti-inflammatory medications may ease symptoms, in the long run, you may be better off changing your posture and the way you move.
Surgery is a good option for some people with lumbar spinal stenosis. But, for some people, physical therapy can often achieve good results with fewer risks.
12 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Slater J, Kolber MJ, Schellhase KC, et al.The influence of exercise on perceived pain and disability in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials.Am J Lifestyle Med. 2015;10(2):136‐147. doi:10.1177/1559827615571510Waqqar S, Shakil-Ur-Rehman S, Ahmad S.McKenzie treatment versus Mulligan sustained natural apophyseal glides for chronic mechanical low back pain.Pak J Med Sci. 2016;32(2):476-479. doi:10.12669/pjms.322.9127Iorio JA, Jakoi AM, Singla A.Biomechanics of degenerative spinal disorders.Asian Spine J. 2016;10(2):377‐384. doi:10.4184/asj.2016.10.2.377Clark A, Lucke-Wold BP.Acupuncture and Spinal Stenosis: Considerations for Treatment.Futur Integr Med. 2022;1(1):23-31. doi:10.14218/fim.2022.00010American Association of Neurological Surgeons.Lumbar spinal stenosis.American College of Rheumatology.NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).Harvard Health Publishing.Are you taking too much anti-inflammatory medication.Jain S, Deer T, Sayed D, et al.Minimally invasive lumbar decompression: a review of indications, techniques, efficacy and safety.Pain Manag. 2020;10(5):331-348. doi:10.2217/pmt-2020-0037Hartman J, Granville M, Jacobson RE.The use of Vertiflex® interspinous spacer device in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis and concurrent medical comorbidities.Cureus. 2019;11(8):e5374. doi:10.7759/cureus.5374Baranidharan G, Bretherton B, Feltbower RG, et al.24-month outcomes of indirect decompression using a minimally invasive interspinous fixation device versus standard open direct decompression for lumbar spinal stenosis: a prospective comparison.J Pain Res. 2024;17:2079-2097. doi:10.2147/JPR.S453343Delitto A, Piva SR, Moore CG, et al.Surgery versus nonsurgical treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis: a randomized trial.Ann Intern Med. 2015;162(7):465-73. doi:10.7326/M14-1420Ma XL, Zhao XW, Ma JX, Li F, Wang Y, Lu B.Effectiveness of surgery versus conservative treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis: A system review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Int J Surg. 2017;44:329‐338. doi:10.1016/j.ijsu.2017.07.032
12 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Slater J, Kolber MJ, Schellhase KC, et al.The influence of exercise on perceived pain and disability in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials.Am J Lifestyle Med. 2015;10(2):136‐147. doi:10.1177/1559827615571510Waqqar S, Shakil-Ur-Rehman S, Ahmad S.McKenzie treatment versus Mulligan sustained natural apophyseal glides for chronic mechanical low back pain.Pak J Med Sci. 2016;32(2):476-479. doi:10.12669/pjms.322.9127Iorio JA, Jakoi AM, Singla A.Biomechanics of degenerative spinal disorders.Asian Spine J. 2016;10(2):377‐384. doi:10.4184/asj.2016.10.2.377Clark A, Lucke-Wold BP.Acupuncture and Spinal Stenosis: Considerations for Treatment.Futur Integr Med. 2022;1(1):23-31. doi:10.14218/fim.2022.00010American Association of Neurological Surgeons.Lumbar spinal stenosis.American College of Rheumatology.NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).Harvard Health Publishing.Are you taking too much anti-inflammatory medication.Jain S, Deer T, Sayed D, et al.Minimally invasive lumbar decompression: a review of indications, techniques, efficacy and safety.Pain Manag. 2020;10(5):331-348. doi:10.2217/pmt-2020-0037Hartman J, Granville M, Jacobson RE.The use of Vertiflex® interspinous spacer device in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis and concurrent medical comorbidities.Cureus. 2019;11(8):e5374. doi:10.7759/cureus.5374Baranidharan G, Bretherton B, Feltbower RG, et al.24-month outcomes of indirect decompression using a minimally invasive interspinous fixation device versus standard open direct decompression for lumbar spinal stenosis: a prospective comparison.J Pain Res. 2024;17:2079-2097. doi:10.2147/JPR.S453343Delitto A, Piva SR, Moore CG, et al.Surgery versus nonsurgical treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis: a randomized trial.Ann Intern Med. 2015;162(7):465-73. doi:10.7326/M14-1420Ma XL, Zhao XW, Ma JX, Li F, Wang Y, Lu B.Effectiveness of surgery versus conservative treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis: A system review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Int J Surg. 2017;44:329‐338. doi:10.1016/j.ijsu.2017.07.032
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Slater J, Kolber MJ, Schellhase KC, et al.The influence of exercise on perceived pain and disability in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials.Am J Lifestyle Med. 2015;10(2):136‐147. doi:10.1177/1559827615571510Waqqar S, Shakil-Ur-Rehman S, Ahmad S.McKenzie treatment versus Mulligan sustained natural apophyseal glides for chronic mechanical low back pain.Pak J Med Sci. 2016;32(2):476-479. doi:10.12669/pjms.322.9127Iorio JA, Jakoi AM, Singla A.Biomechanics of degenerative spinal disorders.Asian Spine J. 2016;10(2):377‐384. doi:10.4184/asj.2016.10.2.377Clark A, Lucke-Wold BP.Acupuncture and Spinal Stenosis: Considerations for Treatment.Futur Integr Med. 2022;1(1):23-31. doi:10.14218/fim.2022.00010American Association of Neurological Surgeons.Lumbar spinal stenosis.American College of Rheumatology.NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).Harvard Health Publishing.Are you taking too much anti-inflammatory medication.Jain S, Deer T, Sayed D, et al.Minimally invasive lumbar decompression: a review of indications, techniques, efficacy and safety.Pain Manag. 2020;10(5):331-348. doi:10.2217/pmt-2020-0037Hartman J, Granville M, Jacobson RE.The use of Vertiflex® interspinous spacer device in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis and concurrent medical comorbidities.Cureus. 2019;11(8):e5374. doi:10.7759/cureus.5374Baranidharan G, Bretherton B, Feltbower RG, et al.24-month outcomes of indirect decompression using a minimally invasive interspinous fixation device versus standard open direct decompression for lumbar spinal stenosis: a prospective comparison.J Pain Res. 2024;17:2079-2097. doi:10.2147/JPR.S453343Delitto A, Piva SR, Moore CG, et al.Surgery versus nonsurgical treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis: a randomized trial.Ann Intern Med. 2015;162(7):465-73. doi:10.7326/M14-1420Ma XL, Zhao XW, Ma JX, Li F, Wang Y, Lu B.Effectiveness of surgery versus conservative treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis: A system review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Int J Surg. 2017;44:329‐338. doi:10.1016/j.ijsu.2017.07.032
Slater J, Kolber MJ, Schellhase KC, et al.The influence of exercise on perceived pain and disability in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials.Am J Lifestyle Med. 2015;10(2):136‐147. doi:10.1177/1559827615571510
Waqqar S, Shakil-Ur-Rehman S, Ahmad S.McKenzie treatment versus Mulligan sustained natural apophyseal glides for chronic mechanical low back pain.Pak J Med Sci. 2016;32(2):476-479. doi:10.12669/pjms.322.9127
Iorio JA, Jakoi AM, Singla A.Biomechanics of degenerative spinal disorders.Asian Spine J. 2016;10(2):377‐384. doi:10.4184/asj.2016.10.2.377
Clark A, Lucke-Wold BP.Acupuncture and Spinal Stenosis: Considerations for Treatment.Futur Integr Med. 2022;1(1):23-31. doi:10.14218/fim.2022.00010
American Association of Neurological Surgeons.Lumbar spinal stenosis.
American College of Rheumatology.NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).
Harvard Health Publishing.Are you taking too much anti-inflammatory medication.
Jain S, Deer T, Sayed D, et al.Minimally invasive lumbar decompression: a review of indications, techniques, efficacy and safety.Pain Manag. 2020;10(5):331-348. doi:10.2217/pmt-2020-0037
Hartman J, Granville M, Jacobson RE.The use of Vertiflex® interspinous spacer device in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis and concurrent medical comorbidities.Cureus. 2019;11(8):e5374. doi:10.7759/cureus.5374
Baranidharan G, Bretherton B, Feltbower RG, et al.24-month outcomes of indirect decompression using a minimally invasive interspinous fixation device versus standard open direct decompression for lumbar spinal stenosis: a prospective comparison.J Pain Res. 2024;17:2079-2097. doi:10.2147/JPR.S453343
Delitto A, Piva SR, Moore CG, et al.Surgery versus nonsurgical treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis: a randomized trial.Ann Intern Med. 2015;162(7):465-73. doi:10.7326/M14-1420
Ma XL, Zhao XW, Ma JX, Li F, Wang Y, Lu B.Effectiveness of surgery versus conservative treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis: A system review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Int J Surg. 2017;44:329‐338. doi:10.1016/j.ijsu.2017.07.032
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