Is spinal stenosis surgery going to relieve my leg pain?

Spinal stenosis is the narrowing of the spinal canal which can lead to pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots, resulting in pain in the back and legs. This condition is usually caused by changes related to aging in the disc, lumbar vertebra, and supporting structures. Surgery to relieve this pressure accesses the spine through the back and then the excess bone, thickened ligaments and degenerative disc tissue is removed to create space. This improved space often decreases the cause of pain and may relieve back and leg pain, however these results are very inconsistent. In a recent review article by McGregor et al, the authors looked to see if active rehab improved outcomes more than usual care. They did find that there was moderate evidence to support that active rehab following a spinal stenosis decompression surgery increased the long term improvement for leg pain.