Spinal stenosis is a medical condition in which areas of the spine put pressure on the spinal cord or nerves in the spine. It can cause numbness in the legs, arms, back and shoulders, the loss of sensation in the feet and hands, a lack of coordination, weakness in the arms and legs and problems with the bowels and bladder. Seek a physician's advice before beginning any exercise program.
Forward Bending
A common symptom of spinal stenosis is sciatic pain, which travels down the sciatic nerve while a person is walking. The pain derives from the narrowing of nerve passageways. When a person bends forward, the lower spine flexes and increases the size of the passageways. Bending forward while using a cane, walker or shopping cart while walking can often feel better than walking upright.
Stationary Bike Riding
When the spinal nerves in a person's lower back become constricted, lumbar spinal stenosis develops. Common symptoms include leg pain while waking and radiating pain that starts in the lower back or buttocks. A good exercise to relieve this type of pain is to ride a stationary bike, which allows you to remain in one place without having to worry about the jostling of a normal bike ride, but bending forward eases pressure.
Swimming and Water Walking
As people get older, exercise takes more and more of a toll on the body. Swimming and water walking are both excellent choices for senior citizens with spinal stenosis because the body takes far less of a pounding. Swimming exercises all of the muscles in the back and does so in an environment that helps support a person's weight. If swimming is not an option, water walking --- the repeated activity of walking in a pool of water at least chest-deep --- is a viable alternative that provides resistance while still helping bear the weight load.
Stretching
Stretching back muscles can provide relief to any number of conditions. It is advised to warm up muscles with low-impact aerobic exercise before stretching to lower the risk of injury. Doing stretches correctly, which includes proper posture and holding poses for the right amount of time, is also essential to keeping the threat of injury low. One simple stretch is called trunk rotation and achieved by lying flat on your back with knees bent and feet in the air. While keeping the feet off the ground, rotate your legs from side to side slowly.
Ergonomic Exercise
Proper posture is often an overlooked way to keep the pain of spinal stenosis tolerable. When sitting at a desk, use a chair that supports the lower back. If one is not available, use a pillow or a folded towel to support the small of the back. When working or using a computer, make sure that household items are well within reach, including the keyboard and mouse of the computer. Reaching motions done repeatedly can exacerbate the pain brought on by stenosis.
