If you experience chronic back pain, like
many other Manchester back pain sufferers, chances
are you’ve heard of paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate. This spinal
issue can cause a lot of discomfort and can even
result in gait disturbances. In this blog post, we will look more
closely at paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate and how it
is associated with lumbar spinal stenosis and its treatment
with spinal manipulation offered at Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries.
WHAT IS PARASPINAL MUSCLE FATTY INFILTRATE?
Paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate is a build-up of fat within the muscle tissues located
near the spine. Genetics or aging are often culprits of this condition,
but it can
also be activated by lifestyle factors like poor nutrition or lack of exercise. It is
important to note that paraspinal fatty muscle infiltrate
does not always produce symptoms, but if it does, they can involve
low back pain, stiffness in the lower back and legs, or difficulty walking due
to gait disturbances since gait depends on hip muscles
like the gluteus medius. A recent report described how
the extent to which the gluteus medius is atrophied (weakened)
impacted lumbar spinal stenosis symptomatology. (1) A
leading spinal condition
impacting more than 500 million people over 65 years old,
lumbar spinal stenosis, is linked to altered
gait as gait depends on strong muscle activity. (2)
Manchester chiropractic patients know Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries checks for gait issues during our chiropractic exam.
PARASPINAL FATTY INFILTRATE AND LUMBAR SPINAL STENOSIS
Paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate can be related to lumbar spinal stenosis—a narrowing of the spinal canal that puts pressure on nerve roots and causes
pain and other symptoms in the lower back and legs – and resulting
Manchester back pain. Intervertebral disc degeneration and
fatty-infiltrated paraspinal muscles – multifidus, erector spinae, etc. – are related
and known to cause chronic low back pain and related
issues: the fattier, the more degenerated.
(3) Other researchers agreed that fat infiltration of the
paraspinal muscles like the multifidus muscle may be linked to lower back pain when it was not associated with other
factors like a person with back pain who was male, older or has a higher BMI
older, male, or having a higher BMI]78]. (4) Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries offers relieving
chiropractic treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis and its back pain.
LUMBAR SPINAL STENOSIS & SPINAL MANIPULATION
There are various treatment options for spinal stenosis depending on
severity and the healthcare practitioner consulted from nutrition,
surgery, exercise, drugs, and/or
spinal manipulation and mobilization. One study reported
that one session of spinal manipulation was
found to significantly decrease spinal
stiffness and increased the multifidus muscle thickness ratio which
maintained for more than 7 days for spinal manipulation
responders. (5) Your Manchester chiropractor uses the
latter for back pain relief, especially the
well-researched chiropractic Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management. Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. James Cox on The Back Doctors Podcast with
Dr. Michael Johnson as he details how The
Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management addresses back pain and
affiliated muscles.
CONTACT Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries
Paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate is a common condition
that can cause a range of issues including low
back pain, stiffness in the lower body, and gait disturbances. It is sometimes
associated with lumbar spinal stenosis. If you have any
symptoms associated with paraspinal muscle fatty infiltrate or
lumbar spinal stenosis, it's time to speak with
your Manchester chiropractor at Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries about your treatment
options so you can find relief as fast as possible.
Make your appointment today!