Lumbar Stenosis: Will Physical Therapy Cure it?

Lumbar stenosis is a common condition affecting individuals as they age. The problem occurs when there is a buildup of tissue or other material in the spinal canal that encroaches on the sensitive nerves that run through the area and down into your legs. When this occurs, it can cause back pain, leg pain numbness and weakness. You gradually lose your ability to walk.

Most patients in Marin, Novato, Sonoma Country and Mendocino County want to avoid surgery are hopeful that physical therapy, chiropractic, and acupuncture will solve their problems. These treatments are used as the first line in many cases and while they are helpful in several lumbar spinal conditions, they are insufficient to decompress an obstructed spinal canal. While physical therapy does not carry surgical risk, it wont directly treat the problem.

Dr. Yoshihiro Katsuura is a orthopedic surgeon specializing in endoscopic lumbar decompression is able to get the clog out of the spine with minimal trauma. Endoscopic treatment, surgery done with a small camera, is an alternative treatment to open spine surgery. Dr. Katsuura operates in northern California, treating lumbar stenosis and other conditions of the spine patients in Marin County, Novato, Sonoma County, and Mendocino County.

In this video post Dr. Katsuura discusses that when PT and conservative treatments fail, sometimes surgical decompression is the best path forward to managing lumbar stenosis. While it is always prudent to pursue the least aggressive treatments, in lumbar stenosis sometimes the best path forward is decompression.