By Dr. Goodman, DC, and Dr. Bradberry, DC | ReliefNow Laser Charlotte | Charlotte, North Carolina
How Spinal Stenosis Limits Older Adults in Charlotte
Lumbar spinal stenosis is the most common reason for spinal surgery in adults over 65 in the United States. It is also one of the conditions most responsive to structured non-surgical care, particularly when that care focuses on the inflammatory and soft tissue factors involved in the symptoms. Many older adults in Charlotte, Pineville, Matthews, and Gastonia notice the same pattern. Their walking distance shortens. Their legs cramp during sustained upright activity. Leaning forward brings a measure of relief. These are familiar signs of stenosis, and they often appear gradually over months or years.
A 2013 review in the New England Journal of Medicine estimated that symptomatic lumbar stenosis affects roughly 11 percent of the general population, with prevalence rising sharply after age 60. Research published in Spine has shown that the degree of canal narrowing on imaging does not reliably predict how severe a patient’s symptoms will be. That gap points to a useful conclusion. Functional, inflammatory, and soft tissue factors contribute meaningfully to the walking limitation that patients actually experience.
What Non-Surgical Care Targets in Stenosis Symptoms
The structural narrowing of spinal stenosis cannot be reversed without surgery. The inflammatory and soft tissue components that influence how much the narrowing impairs nerve function are modifiable, and non-surgical care concentrates on those components. This distinction matters for patients weighing their options because it explains why two people with similar imaging can have very different day-to-day function.
At ReliefNow Laser Charlotte, the Regenerative Medical Laser™ protocol uses medical-grade, near-infrared laser energy, an approach often described as photobiomodulation. Researchers have studied photobiomodulation for chronic spinal conditions, including stenosis-related presentations, and a 2019 systematic review in Pain Research and Management examined its use in this setting. The clinic applies this therapy as one part of a broader, individualized plan rather than as a stand-alone fix.
How the Charlotte Team Approaches Stenosis Care
Dr. Bradberry’s CCSP training includes specific competency in postural assessment and the paraspinal soft tissue restrictions that tend to develop in stenosis patients from a compensatory, forward-flexed posture. Dr. Goodman’s neurokinetic therapy training helps identify hip flexor tightness and gluteal inhibition patterns that can add mechanical loading to an already compromised spinal canal. Working together, the two doctors assess the structural, mechanical, and cellular dimensions of stenosis rather than relying on a single modality.
For Charlotte patients who have already received a surgical recommendation, the clinic offers a thorough non-surgical evaluation. That evaluation gives patients a clinical second opinion to consider alongside any surgical option, such as a laminectomy, before they decide on a path forward.
To learn more, visit ReliefNow Laser Charlotte’s non-surgical pain clinic (do-follow). Patient education is also available through the ReliefNow Nation video channel (no-follow).
Contact: ReliefNow Laser Charlotte, 4601 Park Rd, Suite 100, Charlotte, NC 28209 | 704-527-7246.
About the Authors
Dr. Eric Goodman, DC, studied at UNC-Charlotte and Palmer College, with post-graduate training in neurokinetic therapy, acupuncture, laser therapy, rehabilitation, and nutrition. Dr. Douglas Bradberry, DC, graduated from the University of Florida and earned honors at Palmer College, holds the CCSP credential, and has worked with Olympic-level athletes. Both practice as providers in the national ReliefNow® network, founded by Dr. Robert Hanopole, DC.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare provider before beginning any treatment program.
