Can being overweight affect our spine? This is a question we ask ourselves daily and is generally only associated with problems such as diabetes, cholesterol or high blood pressure. However, we never think that being overweight can produce biomechanical alterations in our bones, joints and muscles, especially affecting the spinal column area. In this post we tell you how obesity and overweight influence back disorders.
What factors affect weight and health?
In Europe About 50% of the adult population are overweight and almost 13% are obese, these data taking into account the lifestyle currently led, have an upward trend in the coming years.
There are many factors that can affect weight and cause excess weight and obesity. Overweight tends to run in families, which indicates that genetics plays a very important role. Another factor is race or ethnicity, so some groups are more likely to suffer from obesity.
On the other hand, As age advances, people tend to gain weight, generally between 60 and 65 years of age.; It is also important to highlight that children with childhood obesity are more likely to continue with that same state of overweight as they grow and become adults.
Sex is another factor that affects weight and health. Thus, in the United States it is more common for black or Hispanic women to become overweight than for men. Women tend to accumulate fat in the hip and buttock areas, while excess fat in men is concentrated in the abdomen and stomach.
It is also important to highlight that a person's diet and physical activity influence the probability of being overweight and obese. For example, the consumption of beverages that concentrate a high percentage of added sugars, processed foods and A sedentary lifestyle or a very limited amount of physical exercise can have a negative impact on a person's weight and health condition..
The consumption of certain medications could also cause weight gain and lead to obesity, such as corticosteroids, antidepressants and anticonvulsants. Other factors such as stress, emotional factors and poor sleep can have a negative impact on a person's weight.
What part of the back hurts from being overweight?
Back pain is one of the most common reasons why patients go to the doctor, in addition to being one of the main causes of disability in the world. It is increasingly common to find young patients who come to consultation for lower back pain, and when they carry extra kilos, that damage is doubled.
Low back pain is one of the first symptoms experienced by overweight patients.. The repetition of episodes of pain in this area and their longer duration are factors that increase the risk that the pain will persist longer or become chronic, and may even lead to functional disability in the person with obesity or excess weight. .
How does being overweight affect the spine?
Being overweight makes it difficult to maintain a stable posture, since the musculoskeletal structures tend to exert extra effort to maintain posture. Besides, There is a relationship between extra kilos and back and joint pain, as the intervertebral discs have to support the pressure of added weight on the back.
Patients who have undergone surgery for herniated discs have been found to have undergone another operation, which indicates that there is a greater risk of the herniated disc recurring in patients who are overweight and obese, as well as the postoperative difficulties they present. and its recovery time.
On the other hand, it is important to know that fats have metabolic activity, this means that they generate inflammation in the body, which is why obesity turns out to be an inflammatory disease.
How to prevent and treat back pain in overweight people
The ideal thing for the back is to reduce the weight appropriately. First of all, it is recommended to consult with a specialist in dietetics and nutrition so that you can develop a plan adapted to your objectives and reduce excess weight.
Physical activity is another factor that helps prevent back pain.. This can be done by taking daily habits such as walking to a destination instead of taking the different means of transportation available, or climbing the stairs in the house instead of taking the elevator.
Know the postural hygiene rules that teach how to adopt certain postures that involve less load on both the spine and the muscles involved.
Do you have any traumatic spinal injuries? At ICAC we are experts in the use of the most advanced techniques for treatment of spinal pathologies in Madrid. Multiple specialists will provide you with the best service for your spinal cord injury, accompanying you from the first moment so that you can put an end to your spinal pain.
12 thoughts on “Dolor de espalda y columna lumbar por sobrepeso u obesidad”
I have lower back pain, I weigh 190 pounds and I have always weighed much less. What can I do to lose a little weight and what exercises should I do?
Hello Roberto,
We do not know your physical, muscular and skeletal composition to know if you need to lose weight. Throughout life the body changes and sometimes a person's normal weight changes. The important thing is to maintain a healthy and balanced diet and exercise such as walking, swimming, Pilates, to have a good quality of life.
Greetings
Hello, good day, in my case I have been a person who has weighed 105kg, but I have also weighed 49kg. Then one day a doctor told me that my spine was affected by those ups and downs, they already told me that I have discopathies between 15-s1, I can't stand the back pain especially if I stand for 20 minutes, my bones crack when I turn lying down, they were going to operate on me but they did not authorize my medical service due to my diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, or well that was the argument, I have tried to exercise and my back kills me the next day I start exercising, I don't know anymore What else to do or how to solve my intense pain, any suggestions?
Hello Verenice,
Spine cases are very complex and sometimes require several professionals and even several consultations to reach a solution.
If you want us to review your case, you can contact us at 91 005 39 00.
Greetings
Hello, I am 1.73m tall and used to weigh 81kg. I had lower back pain and the MRI showed wear and tear on the L4-L5 discs, osteochondrosis or discopathy. I was referred to kinesiology and the doctor recommended that I practice these exercises at home for life, which I am doing. I now weigh 79.5kg and hope to continue losing weight gradually. Lately the pain has returned. Is this normal? Or is some exercise perhaps affecting me? Should I take some anti-inflammatory medication for a few days?
Hello Elias.
We need more information to understand your clinical profile in order to give you medical advice and possible treatments and to know if your symptoms are within the normal range. We also do not know if you are overweight, since there are other factors that influence physical composition beyond weight and height.
You can make an appointment at +34 91 005 39 00.
Greetings
If I am overweight, does it take me longer to heal from a soft tissue lumbar injury?
Hello Star,
Yes, being overweight can delay recovery from a soft tissue lumbar injury by putting extra pressure on the spine and muscles. Maintaining a healthy weight and strengthening muscles can improve the healing process and reduce the risk of further injury.
Greetings
Hello, I am a man and I am obese, I weigh 180 kilos. My back has started to hurt when I walk, it hurts very badly and I can only walk 10 meters.
Hello,
We are sorry to hear that you are experiencing back pain. In order to assess your situation, it would be important for our team of spine specialists to know your case in detail. You can schedule an appointment by calling 91 005 39 00 so that we can carry out a personalized assessment and help you find the most suitable treatment.
Greetings.
Hi, I'm Wendy, I'm 34 years old, I was 108 kg, currently I'm 86 kg. Sometimes I feel some stabbing pains in my buttocks and a pain in my spine. It's not constant but sometimes it comes and goes. I'm 154 cm tall.
Hi Wendy.
Thank you for your comment. Weight changes can affect posture and load distribution on the spine and joints, which could be related to the discomfort you mention. However, to determine the exact cause and the best approach to pain relief, it is recommended that you have your case evaluated by a specialist. If you wish, you can schedule an appointment with our team for a personalized assessment. You can contact us at +34 91 005 39 00.
Greetings.