Spine Condition
Spinal Stenosis
When the spinal canal narrows — and how to relieve the pressure.
Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal that puts pressure on the spinal cord and the nerves that travel through it. It develops gradually, usually after age 50, and most often affects the lower back (lumbar stenosis) or neck (cervical stenosis). The hallmark symptom is leg pain or heaviness that worsens with walking and improves with sitting or leaning forward. Our spine team treats stenosis at every stage, from physical therapy and injections to minimally invasive decompression surgery.
Understanding the Condition
What is Spinal Stenosis?
The spinal canal is the bony tunnel that protects the spinal cord and nerve roots. As people age, the structures around that canal — discs, ligaments, and facet joints — gradually thicken or shift inward. The result is a narrower canal and less room for the nerves. Lumbar stenosis presses on the nerves that supply the legs; cervical stenosis presses on the spinal cord itself, which is potentially more serious.
Mild stenosis can be asymptomatic. Moderate stenosis causes neurogenic claudication — leg pain, cramping, or weakness that worsens with standing or walking and improves with rest, sitting, or bending forward (which opens the canal slightly). Severe cervical stenosis can cause myelopathy: clumsiness, balance problems, fine motor difficulty, and changes in bladder or bowel function.
Common Causes
- Age-related arthritis (osteoarthritis) of the spinal joints
- Thickening of the ligamentum flavum (a stabilizing ligament inside the canal)
- Bulging or herniated discs adding to canal narrowing
- Bone spurs (osteophytes) from chronic arthritis
- Spondylolisthesis (one vertebra slipping forward on another)
- Congenital narrow canal (rare, but predisposes to earlier symptoms)
Common Symptoms
- Leg pain, cramping, or heaviness with walking — relieved by sitting or leaning forward
- Numbness or tingling in one or both legs
- Weakness in the legs, especially with prolonged standing
- In cervical stenosis: clumsiness, dropping objects, balance problems
- Difficulty with fine motor tasks (buttoning a shirt)
- In severe cases: changes in bladder or bowel function (medical emergency)
When to Seek Care
When Should You See a Specialist?
See a specialist if walking distance is progressively limited by leg symptoms, if pain prevents normal daily activity, or if you notice any of the cervical-myelopathy signs (clumsiness, balance changes, grip weakness). Any change in bladder or bowel function requires urgent evaluation. New patients seen within one week.
Treatment Options
How We Treat Spinal Stenosis
We always begin with the least invasive treatment that's likely to work for you. Surgery is reserved for cases where conservative care has been given a fair trial — or when the situation truly requires it.
Conservative (Non-Surgical) Care
- Physical therapy focused on flexion-based exercises and core strengthening
- Anti-inflammatory medications
- Image-guided epidural steroid injections (often quite effective for stenosis)
- Activity modification (using a walker or shopping cart for support)
- Weight management to reduce lumbar load
- Bracing in select cases
Surgical Options
- Laminectomy / laminotomy — removing a portion of the vertebral arch to expand the canal
- Minimally invasive tubular decompression — same goal, smaller incision, faster recovery
- Cervical decompression — anterior or posterior approach depending on anatomy
- Decompression with fusion — when instability is also present
Recovery & Outlook
What to Expect After Treatment
Conservative care manages most patients with mild to moderate stenosis indefinitely. For severe cases requiring surgery, lumbar decompression has an 80–90% success rate at relieving leg symptoms. Recovery from minimally invasive decompression is typically 4–8 weeks; cervical decompression and fusions take longer.
Meet Your Team
Specialists Who Treat Spinal Stenosis
Related Treatments
Services That Address Spinal Stenosis
Spinal Stenosis — Frequently Asked Questions
Related Conditions
You May Also Want to Read About
Herniated Disc
When disc material pushes out and presses on nearby nerves, causing pain, numbness, or weakness.
Sciatica
Pain radiating along the sciatic nerve from the lower back through the hips and down each leg.
Degenerative Disc Disease
Age-related wear and tear on spinal discs causing pain, instability, and reduced mobility.
Radiculopathy
Compressed or irritated nerve roots causing pain, weakness, or numbness in the extremities.
Get Expert Help for Spinal Stenosis
Our specialists can diagnose your condition and design a personalized treatment plan that gets you back to the life you love.