Chiropractic + Physical Therapy for Stenosis: Getting Back to Hiking
When chronic back pain ends the hikes
For this 61-year-old Essex Town resident, low back pain and central canal stenosis slowly took away the one thing that helped him feel grounded: hiking. Months of back and leg pain kept him off the trails, and even spinal injections provided no lasting relief.
Integrated chiropractic and physical therapy plan
At Living Well Center for Integrative Health in Essex Junction, VT, he started care with chiropractor Lauren Angelo, DC, who worked closely with the physical therapy team. Instead of rushing to surgery, his plan focused on targeted spinal adjustments using flexion-distraction, combined with strengthening and movement retraining in physical therapy.
Flexion-distraction is a gentle, traction-based chiropractic technique designed to reduce pressure on spinal nerves and discs, improve spinal motion, and relieve radiating leg pain—key goals for people with lumbar spinal stenosis. Non-surgical care like chiropractic care and physical therapy is often part of first-line treatment for many cases of central canal stenosis, along with exercise and activity modification.
In the clinic, Lauren used flexion-distraction to gently open the spinal joints, decrease nerve irritation, and create a window of relief so the patient could tolerate more active rehab. Physical therapy sessions then focused on building core and hip strength, improving posture, and retraining how he moved at work and on the trail—exactly what major spine centers recommend for spinal stenosis treatment options.
What is central canal stenosis?
Central canal stenosis happens when the space around the spinal cord narrows, often from age-related changes in the spine, which can compress nerves and cause back and leg pain, numbness, or heaviness with walking. Many patients are advised to start with conservative care—such as chiropractic care, physical therapy, and specific exercises—before considering more invasive options like surgery. The phrase “central canal stenosis” on your page can serve as anchor text to link to a high-authority resource that explains this condition in more detail for patients.
The Outcome: Back to full-time work and weekend hikes
With consistent care, he went from struggling with everyday tasks to working full-time again as a retail employee and getting back to the hikes that once brought him peace. His back and leg pain were no longer constant roadblocks but manageable challenges that he could move through with better strength, movement patterns, and confidence. Instead of organizing his weekends around pain, he could once again plan them around the trail.
Privacy Notice: All case studies are fully anonymized and represent common conditions treated at Living Well. Identifying details have been generalized to protect patient privacy while highlighting real-life improvements for patients in the greater Chittenden County area.
LAUREN ANGELLO — DC
Dr. Lauren Angello earned her Doctorate of Chiropractic and a Masters of Science in Functional Nutrition from Parker University in Dallas, TX, graduating within the top ten of her class. She pursued her undergraduate studies in Cellular & Molecular Biology through the Honors College Program at Coastal Carolina University in Conway, SC. Dr. Lauren is passionate about integrating chiropractic care with other healthcare disciplines to help her patients attain their health objectives.