Exercise Reduces Chronic Pain Among Spinal Cord Patients, Trial Finds - U.S. News & World Report

A Montreal man from the Philippines says he could face more than $1 million in medical bills after undergoing major spinal surgery without provincial health insurance. Alvin John Reyes, who came to Canada in 2023 and is living in Montreal on a work permit, underwent back surgery in mid-September after being diagnosed with spinal stenosis. Alvin is now bedridden and says he will need months of rehabilitation before he is able to walk again. His brother, Allan Reyes, said the family already owes close to $200,000 to the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC).

Exercise prescribed according to international spinal cord injury guidelines can reduce the intensity of chronic pain when done in everyday settings, according to a new UBC Okanagan–led clinical trial.

Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine and Hospital for Special Surgery have identified a previously elusive population of stem cells that appears to produce the body's tendons and ligaments, the connective tissues that link muscles and bones. The scientists also found evidence that these cells can become overactive in the lower spine, where they may contribute to lumbar spinal stenosis. The condition affects an estimated 103 million people worldwide and develops when thickened ligaments reduce space inside the spinal canal. This narrowing can put pressure on nerves and lead to pain, numbness and difficulty walking.