Patients with low back pain from spinal stenosis are increasingly being exposed to dangerous surgeries. The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) has just reported an alarming increase in complex spinal surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis. In just five years, from 2002 to 2007, the number of complex fusion surgeries to treat lumbar (low back) spinal stenosis soared from a rate of 1.3 per 100,000 to 19.9 per 100,000. The study showed that life-threatening complications occurred in 5.6% of patients having complex spinal fusions. Patients who had complex fusions had longer hospitalizations, higher rates of re-hospitalization, and three times the rate of serious complications such as heart attack and stroke. These surgeries continue despite little medical consensus on whether or not these procedures are helpful or should even be used in the management of lumbar spinal stenosis.

"It just make sense to try physical therapy first, which is a low cost, low risk, and most importantly effective treatment for chronic low back pain due to lumbar spinal stenosis," reports Robert H. Rowe, PT, DPT, DMT, MHS, President, American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists

 

Consumers should actively seek care from a qualified physical therapist for their low back complaints.Call us if you'd like to discuss.