Cervical Stenosis Exercises to Avoid and Safer Alternatives

Updated: January 16, 2025

Spinal stenosis is a condition that affects thousands of adults worldwide. It occurs when your spinal cord starts to narrow, causing a host of symptoms that can include pain and discomfort. There are different types of spinal stenosis, including cervical stenosis, which is caused by the narrowing of the upper section of the spine close to your neck.

If you have cervical stenosis, you might experience symptoms that range from extreme neck pain to mild numbness. FIX24 Joint Biomechanics is here to help you understand cervical spinal stenosis. From what it is to its symptoms, and let you know there’s help with pain from cervical spinal stenosis in Scottsdale if you need help.

What is Cervical Spinal Stenosis?

Cervical spinal stenosis is a type of spinal stenosis in which the spinal canal narrows by the neck, causing compression of the spinal cord and surrounding nerves. 

Cervical spinal stenosis can be caused by herniated discs, bone spurs, age-related changes, and even thickening of the ligaments. 

Cervical spinal stenosis presents differently in everyone, so while it can cause serious pain and discomfort, others might only experience occasional numbness or nothing at all.

Symptoms of Cervical Spinal Stenosis

Symptoms of cervical spinal stenosis vary, depending on the underlying cause and the affected area. However, these are a few of the most common cervical stenosis symptoms:

• Pain in the neck and upper back
• A tingling sensation in the legs, arms, hands, and feet
• Loss of function in hands or feet
• Headaches
• High blood pressure
• Muscle weakness
• Inability to balance properly
• Thyroid malfunction
• Tremors
• Stiffness
• Difficulty standing or walking

In certain extreme cases, people with cervical spinal stenosis might experience problems with incontinence and even loss of bladder or bowel control. 

Ultimately, the severity of your symptoms will depend greatly on whether you have a related condition, such as sciatica.

What Activities Should be Avoided with Cervical Spinal Stenosis?

If you have cervical spinal stenosis, you should take special care to avoid activities that could cause flare-ups. 

Exercise caution when consuming alcohol or smoking. Drinking and smoking leads to weakness and numbness in the arms and legs and can also inhibit the healing process. 

How a Balanced Diet Helps with Cervical Spinal Stenosis

Eating a balanced diet can also help your overall health, even as it possibly reduces symptoms associated with cervical spinal stenosis. A healthy diet, full of fruits and vegetables, can keep your weight stable and ensure your spinal disks are well-hydrated, while an unhealthy diet containing a lot of processed foods can cause inflammation, which puts pressure on the cervical spine.

Avoid prolonged periods of sitting or standing. Maintaining the same position for hours at a time can increase pressure on the spine and make certain symptoms worse. 

Avoid Bending Over and Retrolisthesis

In our years of helping patients in Scottsdale with spinal stenosis, our team at FIX24 has found that even the act of bending over can cause the process of retrolisthesis, the backward misalignment of the vertebra, a large reason for the epidemic of back disabilities we’re seeing now as a nation.

The FIX24 System, also known as FIX24, looks at optimal health through joint biomechanics, nerve function, and organ physiology. FIX24 focuses on structural healthcare based on engineering principles. The system studies the laws of thermodynamics in relation to the mechanical function of the human body. 

Help With Cervical Spinal Stenosis in Scottsdale

By avoiding activities that can worsen cervical spinal stenosis, you can minimize the risk of pain and spend more time doing things you love. 

When you’re ready to take control of your health journey and restore your body’s physiology and biomechanics to their optimal level, FIX24 Joint Biomechanics is here to help. 

We are a structural healthcare clinic focused on spinal stenosis, with the knowledge and compassion you need to get back to living your best life. 

Schedule an appointment with us today to learn more about how we can help you alleviate symptoms of cervical stenosis, and check out our website to learn more about us.

Image Source: sebra/Shutterstock

If you have cervical stenosis, you might experience symptoms that range from extreme neck pain to mild numbness. FIX24 Joint Biomechanics is here to help you understand cervical spinal stenosis. From what it is to its symptoms, and let you know there’s help with pain from cervical spinal stenosis in Scottsdale if you need help.", "image": "https://www.fix24wellnessstudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/FIX24-Joint-Biomechanicsebra.jpg", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sylvia Robb", "url": "https://www.fix24wellnessstudio.com/blog/author/fix-24/" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "FIX24 Joint Biomechanics", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://www.fix24wellnessstudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Logo-normal-new.png" } }, "datePublished": "2024-02-15", "dateModified": "2025-01-16" }