Hey Gidget,

I'm in very good shape at 71. I ran marathons in my 30s and 40s, and then succumbed to systemic osteoarthritis. I've had both knees replaced (2023), and this year, my right hip and my left shoulder.

And my lumbar spine has not been spared. It is a disaster area, with stenosis just being one of the problems. My surgeon tells me that my core muscles are supporting my lumbar spine, and to keep up whatever I'm doing in the gym (I work with a trainer 2x/week). I do not want to have spinal fusion surgery, nope.

As in your case, my lower back is stiff in the morning, and it takes about an hour to loosen up, in spite of stretches I do at the gym. It's not painful, just very tight.

On a cruise a few weeks ago, and on a lark, I tried acupuncture for my lower and upper back.

And it worked! I got immediate relief, my heart rate dropped, and I felt relaxed. Since returning from the cruise, I have started "dry needling". The needles are as thin as a strand of hair and are put directly into a troublesome, tight muscle. A "twitch" is generated and the muscle tightens and then relaxes. Again, this works and is not painful (you'll feel a twitch now and then, but the needles are filament-thin).

I'd give it a try. Not much to lose except that nasty morning stiffness.

All the best!

Joe