Despite freedom from back pain reach freedom of movement

Flexible Spine Stabilization: More quality of life in old age

12/03/2013

„Everyone has to carry his cross“ - in the truest sense, because with advancing age, back pain often limits the freedom of movement more and more. Any movement, stretching for a glass in the cupboard or bending down to pick something up from the floor is only possible with great pain. As a frequent cause age-related signs of wear and tear, the sufferers falsely usually lead back to the disc. In many cases, however, specialists make a narrowing of the spinal cord, the so-called spinal stenosis, responsible for and treat with heat, physiotherapy, drugs or special conservative pain therapies. These measures show no improvement, often freed only an operative relief of the spinal canal of back pain. Patients now receive permanent pain relief with a new surgical method known as flexible spine stabilization. In the process, an implant stabilizes the spinal column section again after a basic operation, without restricting mobility.

Especially for the generation 50+, this means a real gain in quality of life: The children are out of the woods and traveling as well as active sports and leisure activities bring variety into everyday life. All the more annoying when unbearable back pain, leg pain or gait disturbance prevent those affected from enjoying this new lifestyle. If constricted nerve roots cause the pain in the back or legs, an operative pressure relief puts an end to the daily torment. In doing so, surgeons remove potential painkillers such as parts of the vertebral joints and the vertebral arch, which, however, compromise the stability of the spine. To restore these, a stiffening operation is still the method of choice today. „For the treated, however, this entails restrictions on movement in the case of elongated stiffeners“, explains Dr. Thomas Bierstedt, spine surgeon and specialist in neurosurgery from the Orthopedic-Neurosurgical Center in Datteln and Recklinghausen. „In addition, the additional burden of adjacent vertebrae often leads to renewed pain.“

For several years, medical specialists have been increasingly turning their attention to movement-preserving surgical procedures. A new implant, for example, now ensures that the patient remains mobile and permanently painless in all directions following surgical pressure relief as usual: Bending, stretching, lateral tilting and turning are still possible for the patient. Flexible spine stabilization, also known as the TOPSTM System, helps to reduce back pain and maintain flexibility of the vertebral segment. Thus, the new process offers best-agers a way to enjoy their lives without restrictions and continue to do what they feel like doing. „Treated can stretch pain-free again to the shelf and tie to tie shoes easily bend“, concludes Dr. Bierstedt. „Especially for people for whom activity plays a special role in life, a real gain in quality of life“. (Pm)