subject: Obesity And Pain In The Back [print this page] Obesity is said to leave various negative effects on the health of obese people. One of the symptoms of obesity is the increase of pain in the back. An obese person is one whose weight exceeds the limits established for the Body Mass Index according to their height.
Obesity and excessive weight on the waist line will put pressure on the spine as it will pull your body weight forward causing your back to bend and the spine to adjust in an inadequate position. The imposition of this unnatural position on the spine influences the curve of the lower part of the back. People of all ages, including children who are obese will also suffer from pains in the joints, making them less flexible since the muscles of the back become tighter and thus become more prone to suffer from sciatica and pain in the back.
When obesity is mainly focused on thighs, the excessive pressure due to extra weight will press on nerve endings that link the spine to the legs and hips. The back pain that ensues due to heavy thighs can be also accompanied with pain in the hips. This article is not written by or checked for accuracy by a medical doctor. Please consult with your physician for treatment options.
Carrying excessive weight over a period of time will gradually eat the outer cells of the spinal disc. This in turn will lead to a higher risk of the obese person to get injured or of getting severer injuries than is normal. For example, if one falls down a flight of stairs and is obese, this will result in greater pain in the back as the spinal disc is weaker than that in a healthy weight person. Moreover, studies show that back surgery is more popular with obese people.
Obesity for men has more complications than in women as men are prone to develop the hardening of the ligaments of the spine more than women are, with women placing first in hip fracture due to lack of support from a heavily burdened back.
The good news is that if an obese person changes their eating habits and slowly increases the circulation in their blood through light exercise, they will lose weight. Weight loss has been proven to be a stepping stone in relieving pain in the back. The scope of the exercise should not only be that to increase the muscle mass as to burn fat faster but training should also focus on the realignment of the back.
This article is not written by or checked for accuracy by a medical doctor. Please consult with your physician for treatment options.
