What are the symptoms of lumbar spinal canal stenosis?
People who have lumbar spinal canal stenosis may have back or leg pain or numbness. Your legs might also feel cramped, tired or weak. These symptoms usually start when you are standing or walking. Often, the symptoms get better if you sit, crouch or lie in the fetal position (with your knees tucked up to your chest). It’s thought that these positions “open” the lumbar canal and take the pressure off the nerves that go to the legs. In severe cases, stenosis can cause partial or complete bowel or bladder incontinence.
