The Connection Between Obesity and Lower Back Pain

There is one thing chronic back pain sufferers are almost always asked to do, which is to lose weight. According to the American Obesity Association, back pain is a common problem among obese Americans. An estimated 36 percent of Americans are classified as obese. In a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, it was concluded that the risk for low back pain increases with a high body mass index (BMI), with obese people at greatest risk overall.

Am I Obese?

Obesity is defined as having a BMI of 30 and higher. It is not just being overweight, obesity is a disease that has biological, environmental, and social factors. Getting down to a healthy weight requires an individualized program and routine guidance from a doctor.

How exactly can losing weight improve back pain symptoms?

Why Being Obese Causes Lower Back Pain

Every pound you gain puts a strain on your musculoskeletal system, which consists of your bones, joints, cartilage, ligaments, tendons, and muscles. Excess weight especially affects the pelvis, back, and knees. Some medical experts argue that as a person becomes heavier, the pelvis is pulled forward, and the lower back becomes strained. A strained lower back will produce symptoms such as pain, soreness, and tightness.

Furthermore, added weight in the midsection can cause the spine to tilt and become uneven. When the spine is not in a neutral position, more problems usually follow. The back muscles overcompensate, which contributes to the development of lower back pain.

Aside from obesity being a cause of low back pain, it can also contribute to the worsening of existing musculoskeletal conditions. For people with herniated discs or osteoarthritis, excess weight can exacerbate and accelerate the progression of both conditions. Adipose tissue causes chronic inflammation, which can cause degeneration of soft tissues.

Obesity not only affects musculoskeletal health, but also the success of treatment. People who are obese and undergo surgery to treat a spine condition have worse surgical outcomes and a higher rate of complications.

Physical Therapy For Obesity and Lower Back Pain

Being obese is a risk and an exacerbating factor for many medical conditions. Fortunately, a physical therapist can design a physical therapy program that includes exercises to help with the following:

• Build strength and cardiovascular fitness
• Reduce lower back pain
• Improve posture, movement, and flexibility
• Boost metabolism, burn more calories and lose weight
• Increase function, flexibility, and mobility

Besides exercises, physical therapists use various modalities to reduce lower back pain. For example, dry needling, which involves the use of fine needles, helps alleviate pain in the body by increasing blood flow, loosening tight muscles, and accelerating the body’s healing process.

Physical Therapist in Austin, TX

If you are suffering from lower back pain, our highly skilled physical therapists at Endeavor Physical Therapy can help. Our specialized knowledge and training enable us to recognize the factors influencing your lower back pain and design an exercise and pain management program that will gradually change how your body looks and feels.

To schedule a consultation with one of our physical therapists, call (512) 284-7192 or use our online request form. Endeavor Physical Therapy has convenient locations serving Austin, Round Rock, Manor, Pflugerville, Cedar Park, Bee Cave, and Hutto.

Can Obesity Cause Back Pain Problems?

Being overweight or obese is a serious condition that affects adults and children. Obesity contributes to several health issues including high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. However, did you know the obesity is contributing factor to back pain? Suffering from back pain can affect your everyday life, even causing additional health problems. Many patients we see suffer from bulging disks and muscle strain. With every extra pound over the body mass index, muscles and ligaments in the back will become more and more strained.

The spine is intended to carry and distribute the body’s weight. With extra weight, the spine begins to tilt and curve, which may lead to structural impairment and injury. The lower back, or lumbar spine, is the most vulnerable to the effects of obesity. A larger stomach may pull your pelvis forward, which in turn strains the lower back. In addition, herniated discs tend to occur due to the excess pressure being placed on the back. Many overweight individuals also experience pinched nerves in addition to herniated disks and back pain.

Manage Obesity and Back Pain

The number one priority in dealing with obesity and back pain is losing weight. A healthy BMI, body mass index, will range anywhere from 18.5 to 24.9. A BMI of 30 or over is considered obese. In order to lower your BMI and weight to prevent spinal damage, it’s essential to exercise regularly. Starting a diet and exercise program can be a daunting task. Speak to your doctor to develop a healthy exercise and weight loss routine that will best suit your needs. Start your new routine by creating a timeline and writing down your goals. Your doctor will be able to set a goal weight based on your age and height. By reaching your target weight, you’ll be able to reduce your back pain. Furthermore, make sure you receive adequate sleep on a semi-firm mattress.

Stretching and Exercises for Obesity and Back Pain

We recommend discussing the proper stretching routine with our Ogden chiropractors to help you find lasting relief. There are several tasks you can do at home to help prevent and ease back pain. Always use proper posture and remain consistently active while maintaining a healthy diet and weight. When exercising, practice proper lifting and cardio techniques. Obese individuals should avoid high-impact exercises in order to prevent spine and joint injuries. Warm-ups are an important part of an exercise routine. Engaging in regular warm-ups can help get your heart moving while loosening your muscles, joints, bones, and tendons. In addition to these at-home tips, routine chiropractic adjustment and maintenance can prevent serious back injury.

Obesity comes with its fair share of problems. Our doctors at Ogden Chiropractic can help you relieve current back pain and maintain your spine health. Your healthy is our top priority. Call today to learn more about our chiropractic treatment solutions.

Excess weight and lower back pain: how they are related

Let’s make a reservation right away: not only the lumbar, but also other parts of the spine can get sick in the presence of excess kilograms. Although it is the lumbosacral region that suffers most from the loads provoked by excess weight.

Weight and spine

At first glance, it seems that excess weight does not fundamentally affect the condition of the spine – except that a person may look more stooped, having extra pounds. But in fact there is a connection.

• Being overweight increases pressure on the bones and joints of the pelvis, hips, knees, and ankles.
• Under prolonged exposure to extra pounds, the structure of cartilage changes, the state of the ligaments changes.
• In a very fat person, gait changes, weight changes the nature of movements, and, consequently, the load on the limbs and spine becomes unnatural.

The human spine is very hardy, and at a young age, even with significant excess weight, it may not give any “distress signals” in the form of severe pain. However, with age, most overweight people complain of lower back pain. They are the most common among obese people.

Therefore, what is visible to the naked eye – stoop, change in posture in those who are overweight – is just the tip of the iceberg. In many, during the examination, a stronger than normal deflection in the lower back is found, while kyphosis develops, which is visible from the side as a strong stoop. The muscles and ligaments of the back are in constant tension. The situation is aggravated by the way of life: many overweight people move little, falling into the “vicious circle” of those who are getting fat: less movement – more weight – even less movement. However, movement is very important for the spine, including the lumbosacral region. Moderate and regular physical activity is recommended for lower back pain – also if you are overweight. Moreover, you don’t even need to do special exercises to begin with: it is important to teach yourself to walk in situations where it is possible, for example, to go through several stops of transport or climb several floors up the stairs.

How to treat low back pain when overweight

All experts agree that it is necessary to normalize weight – as much as possible. Even if you cannot get close to your “ideal” weight, which you have calculated thanks to numerous calculators on the Internet, do not give up trying. Focus on the body mass index that is optimal for your height, consult a nutritionist, find time for physical activity and monitor nutrition. Over time, you will definitely get results.

And it’s not just weight loss and a feeling of satisfaction when looking at yourself in the mirror. The closer you are to your normal BMI (body mass index), the less often you will experience back pain. You will also suffer less from complaints of pain along the entire spine, which is characteristic of people who are overweight or obese.

The doctor will help you find out the specific reason why your lower back hurts. Perhaps extra pounds accelerated the development of osteochondrosis of the spine. Maybe because of the weight and increased load on the knees and lower legs, the gait and position of the body when walking changed, which caused pain in the lower back.

As already mentioned, one of the first recommendations for low back pain due to excess weight is physical activity and affordable physical activity. Start by walking short distances, swimming if possible, try yoga, cycling. Even with a slight weight loss, you will feel relief: in the literal sense, it will become easier for the knee and ankle joints, this will help reduce the load on the spine and make the pain in the lumbosacral region less intense.

In addition to non-drug methods – diet and physical activity – medications will help get rid of back pain. It is not recommended to abuse them, as the lower back can hurt for a long time, and constant medication causes side effects. However, with severe pain, medication should not be abandoned.

• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in tablets are used (short-term, to relieve severe pain and inflammation if a nerve root has been entrapped).
• Topical preparations with anti-inflammatory or analgesic active ingredients (ointments, creams, gels, patches, compresses) are used.
• For long-term use, a complex of B vitamins can be prescribed. It is known that some of them can improve the conduction of impulses along nerve fibers, have anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, thus reducing the need for the use of drugs from other groups. In particular, a combination of vitamins B1 and B6 has such properties, and it is important that vitamin B1 is contained in the preparation in the form of benfotiamine. It is a fat-soluble form of vitamin B1 that is easily absorbed and is superior to thiamine, the form of this vitamin used in most formulations. Benfotiamine is preferred, among other things, because of its ability to be rapidly absorbed in the intestines, quickly begin its action and quickly create a high concentration of vitamin B1 in the body, which is important for the treatment of back and lower back pain. For example, in the preparation of Milgamma tablets, benfotiamine (vitamin B1) is combined with vitamin B6 – both of them have the ability to improve the passage of nerve impulses, restore nerve fibers and positively affect the functioning of the nervous system.

However, you should not completely rely on medicines: if you have started the fight against excess weight, do not give up. The reward for your efforts will not only be self-confidence and satisfaction with your appearance, but also getting rid of lower back pain.

How does smoking affect back pain?

It turns out that smokers are much more likely to have lower back pain. We understand why this happens.

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Back pain is one of the most popular reasons we seek medical help. Earlier, Men Today already wrote about its main reasons. Today we will talk about the prevention of back pain.

Contents of the article

Back pain can affect anyone, from the elderly to the child. But there are factors that can increase the risk of developing it. Below are the most important ones.

Age . Back pain often occurs with age, starting from 30-40 years.

Lack of exercise. Weak, untrained back and abdominal muscles can cause back pain.

Overweight. Being overweight puts extra strain on your back.

Diseases. Some types of arthritis and cancer can cause back pain.

Incorrect lifting. Using your back instead of your legs when you are trying to lift a heavy load can cause pain.

Psychological conditions. People prone to depression and anxiety also have a greater risk of pain.

Smoking. Smokers are more likely to experience back pain. This may be because smoking reduces blood flow to the spine and increases the risk of osteoporosis.

( See also: Pain while running: why it occurs and how to treat it)

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Prevention

You can avoid or prevent back pain by improving your fitness and learning and practicing proper body mechanics. To keep your back healthy and strong you need:

Exercise. Regular low-intensity aerobic exercise—one that doesn’t strain or jar your back—can increase the strength and endurance of your back and allow your muscles to function better. Walking and swimming are good choices. Talk to your doctor about what activities you can try.

Build muscle strength and flexibility.