It’s ok to touch your toes.
Why this matters:
Bones grow as we age and move. Spinal stenosis often occurs on the side of our vertebrae where the nerves exit. When bones grow, this little opening gets smaller and smaller. In some cases, it can get small enough where the nerve gets pinched. That’s when you have pain, weakness, and sometimes numbness.
Spinal stenosis is observed via MRI, but is actually diagnosed clinically. Meaning, that it must present like spinal stenosis in order for us to manage it. How does it appear clinically? When pain improves with forward bending, and leaning AWAY from the side of pain, then stenosis is most likely the culprit. If the pain gets worse with back extensions and leaning TOWARDS the side of pain, then we’re most likely dealing with stenosis. The opposite is true if you’re dealing with a herniated disc.
The key to managing this is opening up those areas.
Action steps:
If you are presenting with the pain as described above, you may be dealing with spinal stenosis. You have permission to touch your toes and lean away from the pain. This is my favorite forward bend, and my favorite side bend (choose your side). I recommend doing it 10x or more. You can even do it when the pain comes on, and see if it improves.
How did it go? I would love to hear your results.
