I just read a very good book for spinal stenosis rehabilitation patients by physical therapist Terri Night: “Rehab Your Own Spinal Stenosis: Strategies to Improve the Health of Your Spine”. First of all, it’s very encouraging, pointing out that a lot of older people have spinal stenosis and have no symptoms. She points out that various factors such as inflammation and hydration status, over which we have considerable control, play a major role in how severe symptoms might be. Over the years, she has worked with many patients who did have severe symptoms, often worse than mine, and have improved significantly using the strategies outlined in the book, including aerobic exercise, spinal and hip stretches, strengthening the muscles around the spine, and lifestyle changes. There is a final discussion of surgical options if symptoms persist or if you have more serious symptoms such as numbness or loss of bladder control.
From this I got some very good ideas on how to change activities to avoid aggravating the lumbar spine, as well as new exercises to try. I highly recommend this book to anyone with spinal stenosis.
