Is Your Excess Weight Ruining Your Back?

Carrying around excess weight has many health consequences, ranging from type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure to osteoarthritis, and sleep apnea. It can also increase your risk of developing serious back, muscle, and joint pain. The extra kilos cause your pelvis to tilt forward, placing a significant strain on your lumbar region that leads to lower back pain.

In addition to the strain on the muscles in your back, the tugging can affect the discs in your spine leading to sciatica. In this case, a domino effect begins as the weakness then leads to poor posture, which further exacerbates your back pain, leading to lack of mobility and further weight gain.

Advice
Low-calorie low food diets that are high in fiber and vitamins and low in fat and cholesterol will prolong your life and ease your back pain. Consult your physician or spine specialist to find out how to safely start a weight loss program. This is important because if you have back pain, your exercise program will probably be different than for a person without back pain.

Tips to Prevent Back Pain
• Maintain a healthy diet and weight.
• Remain active—under the supervision of your doctor of chiropractic.
• Avoid prolonged inactivity or bed rest.
• Warm up or stretch before exercising or physical activities, such as gardening.
• Maintain proper posture.
• Wear comfortable, low-heeled shoes.
• Sleep on a mattress of medium firmness to minimize any curve in your spine.
• Lift with your knees, keep the object close to your body, and do not twist when lifting.
• Quit smoking. Smoking impairs blood flow, resulting in oxygen and nutrient deprivation to spinal tissues.
• Work with your chiropractor to ensure that your computer workstation is ergonomically correct.

(Credit: ACAtoday.org)

(Written by: Nathalie Djabrayan, licensed clinical dietitian, Djabrayan Chiropractic Care & Diet Center)