Any exercises actually help with spinal stenosis symptoms?

@sharonba I love swimming
, but it makes my leg pain worse.

@thankful1. Dear thankful1, I understand what you are saying about swimming making leg pain worse. Some water exercises are better than others depending on your condition. It may help to discuss why you have leg pain while swimming with an experienced aqua PT who can guide you on what type of water exercise may be right for you. For example, if you have spine pain twisting movements can increase pain, so water exercises that keep your spine straight would be more in keeping with your condition.

Thanks for responding. I love swimming the breast stroke. My spine is pretty straight.

@gaskell I had to talk to say that relation therapy was not proper course of treatment for myself and my spinal stenosis, but wasn’t clear why. I just had my second epidural and talk with the doctor and he mentioned minimally invasive surgery if I can’t get another few minutes of relief.

@gaskell I meant to say a few months, not minutes

I'm 73 years olds with spinal stenosis. Have had 5 injections. The first 3 helped. Can't walk, sleeping is difficult, lots of pain.
First pain doctor then recommended Minuteman. Basically a bolt that goes between your vertabrae to take the pressure off
of the nerve that is causing the pain. Which is my left thigh. Had some issues with that doctor's office calling me back and never actually seeing the doctor to speak one on one. I had to talk with his NP and she was new to the practice. UHC eventually authorized the procedure. But, I wasn't comfortable with the doctors office and nervous with the situation. I ended up calling the manufacturer for Minuteman. He gave me recommendations of a doctor that specializes in
Minute man. Went there today and he already did two procedures before I came. We talked and I'm totally on board to doing this. He was wonderful. This ""bolt" is like a lag bolt that adheres to your vertabrae and compresses the spine away from the nerve, relieving the pain. Doctor said its only about 2 1/2 years since he's been doing it. 80% or more success rate. It will go between my L4 and L5 vertabrae. They can't do it between L5 and S1. But he says they are working on a device for this. Now I wait to get my UHC Medicare advantage to authorize the procedure. If they don't, I'll just pay for it. If I get any type of relief, I will be happy.
This is my 3rd discussion on this platform with Minute Man and no one answers with experience on it. I'll give you an update a couple weeks after and let you all know. Thanks all. Joe

@yusef - Hi Yusef! 71-yo female here. Just saw my spine doc today to review results of Sunday's MRI. I have severe spinal stenosis at L3-4-5 with left side sciatica down into my leg and calf and in both hamstrings. Sounds like you have the same shock-type pain when walking. I especially feel it when I first stand up after sitting awhile. I like your protocol for the things you do to "fight back" again this. I also joined Planet Fitness with a Black Card membership so I can take advantage of the red light therapy, massage chair, and the awesome hydro massage! I'm waiting for a rollator/transport chair so my husband can take me there. I'm just at the beginning of what appears to be a long journey of trying to figure out what works and what doesn't. Spine doc wants me to have a surgery consult, but also wants to try an epidural to see if it helps at all and for how long. How much ACV do you take each day? I take the other vitamins as I've battled idiopathic peripheral neorupathy in my feet for nearly 15 years. I'm on Lyrica for that and just got a RX for low dose Naltrexone which I pick up when CVS opens. I'm hopeful it will provide some relief on both fronts. Above all, I'm praying because I believe God hears and answers, and even if His answer isn't what I want to hear, I know He's with me through this. Anyway, thanks much for your post and best wishes to you!

@joepyzyk What is Minuteman?

@sallylang Its exactly what I said in the message. Done by anathesiologists primarily. They use an adapter to make a hole/space. Screw it in, then tighten to your vertabrae. Spreads the vertabrae out so it does not pinch a nerve which causes the pain. This instead of scraping the inside of vertabrae so it doesn't pinch the nerve. Go to, You Tube. Search Spinal Simplicity - Minuteman G5. Lots of videos on it.

@joepyzyk Thank you.