Importance of Flexion exercise in Lumbar Canal Stenosis

Stenosis means  the abnormal narrowing of a passage 

Lumbar canal is lumbar part of whole spinal column,
                                                   
                                          so where is spinal column ,look at the diagram below,Number 1 blue inked spinal cord and number 2 is spinal column.

• The spinal column shown above is formed by back part of vertebral body (which forms canal's front wall) and  laminae and pedicles (which forms its side and back wall) 

• In Lumbar Canal Stenosis this canal gets narrowed by degenerative changes in vertebral bodies ,discs,lateral foraminae and apophysial joints,

• So in normal situation whenever we bend forward the the column or canal opens up and has more space but when bend backwards the space reduces.

• In pathological conditions as in degenerative changes the canal size decreases spontaneously by the debris of wear and tear bony spurs  and this process continues and gets limited by itself sometimes it keeps on getting narrowed day by day.

• Narrower the space in canal more is the pressure on spinal cord    and patient feels urge to sit after walking few distance as a result of pain in legs (because of pressure in spinal cord)but it gets dramatically reduced to almost zero when patient sit down.This is known as neurological claudication

• SO WHY DOES PAIN GETS REDUCED ? ANSWER TO THIS IS IDEA OF FOLLOWING EXERCISE IN SPINAL CORD STENOSIS.

https://youtu.be/NPMoxDQ0id0

• So when you do strengthening of flexors of spine you  create more space for spinal cord and hence you tolerate walking more.

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