The Best Back Braces for Spinal Stenosis

Lumbar spinal stenosis, or the narrowing of the spinal canal, can put pressure on your spinal cord and nerves, causing pain, tingling, and numbness. Luckily a back brace for spinal stenosis can help.

Comfortable and inconspicuous, lumbar back braces stabilize the lower spine and reduce pressure on the spinal discs, vertebrae, and ligaments. Check out our list of the best back braces for spinal stenosis, and give your back the support it deserves.

Q&A on Spinal Stenosis

• What Causes Spinal Stenosis?

  The spinal cord consists of nerves that run along the vertebrae. Stenosis of the back is caused by the narrowing of the spinal canal, which places pressure on the spinal cord. While stenosis can affect any part of the back, it is most common in the lumbar region. Spinal stenosis is often caused by osteoarthritis or the gradual wear and tear that takes place as we age. The condition can also be caused by rheumatoid arthritis, spinal injury, spinal tumor, or certain bone diseases.

• What are the Symptoms of Stenosis in the Lower Back?

  While many people experience no back stenosis symptoms, others may feel pain in their lower back and numbness or weakness in the legs. In the most severe cases, patients may experience difficulty controlling their bowel and bladder. The pain of spinal stenosis usually improves when sitting, bending forward, or lying down.

• How is Spinal Stenosis Diagnosed?

  If your doctor suspects that you have spinal stenosis, he or she will usually perform a physical exam to look for weakness, loss of sensation, or abnormal reflexes. Your doctor may also order an X-ray to check for the presence of spurs that can contribute to the narrowing of the spinal cord, or a CT or MRI scan to have a closer look at the spinal canal.

• How to Treat Spinal Stenosis?

  Aside from wearing a back brace to stabilize the spine, spinal stenosis can be treated with physical therapy to strengthen and stretch the back, stomach, and leg muscles. Medication, such as ibuprofen, can be taken to alleviate pain and inflammation. Your doctor may also recommend steroid injections to minimize pain and swelling. Back surgery to alleviate pressure on the spinal cord and nerves is usually only reserved for the most severe cases.

Back Exercises for Spinal Stenosis

Therapy for spinal stenosis of the back usually involves stretching and strengthening exercises. Here are just a few back exercises for spinal stenosis in the lower back.

• Trunk Rotation

  To increase the flexibility of your spine, lie on your back with your knees bent. Contract your abdominal muscles and rotate your knees to one side. Hold this position for around five seconds before rotating your knees to the other side. Repeat this exercise ten times on each side.

• Pelvic Tilt

  Lie on your back with the knees bent and your feet on the floor. Tighten your stomach muscles and push your lower back into the floor. Hold this position for ten seconds before releasing and repeating ten times. To make this exercise more challenging, slowly march in place while holding the pelvic tilt. If this is too easy, fold your arms across your chest, and raise your head and shoulders off the floor while performing this exercise.

• Lumbar Flexion

  To perform lumbar flexion, lie on your back and slowly bring your knees to your chest until you are able to grab them with your hands. Hold this position for five seconds before releasing it. To perform this exercise sitting down, sit in a chair and gradually bend forward until you bring your hands as close to the floor as possible. Hold this move for five seconds before returning to the starting position. Perform both of these exercises ten times.

Weighing All the Factors

There are a lot of components that make up the best back brace for spinal stenosis, including support and comfort. Our top pick, Mueller’s lumbar support back brace has both of these features, plus more. Old Bones Therapy’s brace with ice packs and Sparthos’ back support brace also come with their own set of unique features.