Spinal Stenosis
A narrowing of the spinal canal that puts pressure on the nerves — causing pain, weakness, and reduced tolerance for walking or standing.
Spinal Stenosis
A narrowing of the spinal canal that creates pressure on the neural structures inside.
Spinal stenosis develops gradually and is most common after 50. Many patients manage well with physiotherapy. Surgery — when needed — reliably relieves the leg symptoms that most affect daily life.
Overview
Spinal stenosis is one of the most common reasons adults over 50 seek spine care in Pune. It occurs when the spinal canal narrows — typically from age-related wear of the discs, facet joints, and ligaments — creating pressure on the nerve roots inside. It most commonly affects the lumbar spine, though cervical stenosis is also seen.
What Causes It?
The most common cause is degenerative change — age-related wear on the discs, facet joints, and ligaments. As discs lose height, the joints and ligaments that compensate can thicken and encroach on the canal. Bone spurs may form on the vertebral edges, further reducing the space available for the spinal nerves.
What Does It Feel Like?
The characteristic symptom is neurogenic claudication — a heaviness, cramping, or aching in the legs that appears after walking or standing, and relieves with sitting or bending forward. Many patients find they can only walk a limited distance before needing to rest. Unlike vascular claudication, the symptoms are positional and often improve when leaning on a shopping trolley or bending slightly forward.
How Is It Diagnosed?
MRI is the investigation of choice — it clearly shows the degree of canal narrowing, the affected levels, and the extent of nerve compression. CT scanning provides excellent bony detail and is often used alongside MRI. A clinical examination documenting walking tolerance, neurological deficits, and postural symptoms completes the picture.
Non-Surgical Treatment
Physiotherapy focuses on spinal flexion exercises and core strengthening. Epidural steroid injections can provide meaningful, though typically temporary, relief of nerve-related symptoms and are sometimes used to facilitate engagement with physiotherapy. Activity modification — particularly avoiding sustained extension postures — is an important part of daily management.
When Is Surgery Considered?
Surgery is considered when symptoms significantly limit daily function, when conservative care hasn't produced adequate relief, or when there's progressive neurological impairment. If you can't walk a meaningful distance or can't manage daily activities without stopping repeatedly, you're typically a candidate for surgical assessment.
Recovery
Single-level laminectomies generally allow discharge within two to three days, with gradual return to activity over six to twelve weeks. Leg heaviness and cramping typically improve progressively over weeks to months. The improvement is often described as a gradual lifting — a bit more distance each week.
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